Parting Glass
by Moustache Bandit
Summary: "Return to me." He repeats whilst possessively stroking the ends of my hair with his fingers. I firmly try and push him away but his grip tightens, bringing me closer to him until my head is tucked safely underneath his chin. His arms now encircle me, trapping me against him to hinder me from leaving. "Promise to return to me, swear it or I'll steal you away." Godric/OC
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. Infact, I own very little as I'm currently living off a student loan.**

"It's for a month, tops." My brother, Jason, argues back at me as he stuffs random bits of clothing in to a duffel bag. He started talking about the Fellowship of the Sun a few days ago, a church with the twist of actively hating vampires. First it was just a comment here and there but then he became obsessed with it, prattling on about how it's helping him 'come out of the darkness and into the light'. It wasn't until he decided to join them that I began to argue with him.

"You can't just leave to join the fellowship, it's too dangerous! You have nothing against vampires!" His eye twitches as I say this but I don't comment on it. "It is not rational, Jason Stackhouse, to provoke vampires. It makes you a target, it'll make you dead."

He pauses in packing his bag and turns to me with a serious look in his eye "In that jail cell I got thinking, God put me on this earth for a reason. That reason must be to help kill vampires, it makes perfect sense!" I stare at him speechless, Jason can be dumb sometimes but I never realised how brainless he could actually be. "I'm doing this, I'll be back sooner than you know."

He smiles at me, his lips stretch out, creating dimples in his cheeks. I sigh wearily, giving in. "If you really feel as if this is what you were made for then we'll go together. You'll have the man power and I'll provide what little brain power I have. That way, when we run into a sticky situation there's more of a chance of us getting out of it."

He mulls this over in his head, his eyes looking upwards as if searching his brain for the right choice. "You're my baby sister, Alba. I can't let you come and fight vampires. You're too small." It feels like a jab at me but the concerned look on Jason face says otherwise. Its true, I am small, slight even, but if I go, I can keep Jason from acting reckless.

"I'll stay out the fighting, I'm sure not everyone there fights." He gives me an exasperated look but I put my hand up before he can argue back. "It's settled Jason, I'm coming with you to the Fellowship. Now let's hurry and scramble on out of here before Sookie catches wind of what we're doing" He grins at me and attempts to ruffle my thick, auburn hair, I kick him in the arse to stop him. He still manages to ruffle it.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. If I did I would have more than 37p in my purse. On the bright side, its enough for a freddo (a small bar of frog shaped chocolate.)**

I stumbled down the last step to the basement of the Fellowships church, looking over my shoulder to see if anyone is following. No one, I'm in luck. Peering around the darkened room I vaguely make out the outline of bars on one side of the room, creeping up to them I inspect the think rods of silver, a thick padlock and chain firmly keeping the door locked.

Twenty seconds left, I don't have long.

I franticly search for a place to hide, inspecting the rest of the basement in pursuit of a hiding place. Seeing no other choice I duck behind a set of cardboard boxes, an obvious place to look but with limited other choice. My heart beats anxiously, pounding within my chest like its desperately trying to escape from its enclosure. How long has it been? A minute? More? After a while my breathing evens out and my heart slowly begins to settle down. They mustn't have thought to look down here. As time crawls by, I start to fidget, getting bored of my current hiding place so I take the opportunity to explore the depths of the basement and perhaps find what lies behind the thick, daunting bars. I edge closer to them, skirting around the boxes I was hiding behind. Pressing my face against the bars, I feel the cold metal bite against my skin, squinting to try and see what was so important that it had to be locked away from the rest of us.

A pale face flashes in front of mine, barley centimetres apart. Startled, I flinch away, throwing myself backwards and onto the floor scattering dust, my heart once again accelerating. My bodies fight or flight reactions fiercely battling against one another, my lack of fighting knowledge that keeps me from fighting and it's my curiosity to who this is keeps me from running. After the initial fright I slowly drag myself off the dusty floor, my body still shaking from the shock.

The person who appeared in front of me hadn't moved, in the dark it was hard to see who it was. I edge closer, taking deep breaths to try and supress my fear of the unknown character. A man, no he was too short for that, a boy on the brink of becoming a man with a lean build that embodied power. The small amount of light given from the basement door that I had left cracked open enabled me to see his face. His handsome features were unblemished, seemingly perfectly in proportion to make an attractive face. However, his expression was cold, unfeeling. Like all the emotion had evaporated from him as if there was nothing he cared for.

"You should leave." His voice was soft but commanding, I felt mesmerised by the sound of it drawing me closer, despite his words of withdrawing. "Did you not hear me?"

I shake myself from my senseless mesmerisation "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on you, I didn't know you were down here." Embarrassed to be caught staring, my words all gushed together, practically clambering over each another in one giant blunder. "It's a lovely place to reside in. No wait, you're in a cage, behind bars, you wouldn't choose to be here, you're trapped. Why is this?"

He looks down at me, his blue grey eyes narrow, almost suspiciously then as something dawns on him his eyebrows raise in a look of surprise. "Do you not know? You joined this church in united hate towards my very kind and yet you cannot tell what a vampire looks like?"

I was stunned. The only vampire I had ever met was my sister's boyfriend. He visits her nearly every night, and the racket they create through the bedroom wall is something awful. However, he seemed decent enough with charm and wit although a little over protective and possessive at times. This vampire seemed different though, he had an air of command to him and despite his boyish looks he seemed to know things far beyond his youth façade, all locked away behind those steely grey eyes.

After contemplating his words, I fidget on the spot, not wanting him to think that I was narrow minded, that I hated him just for what he is. "Is it selfish to say that since no vampire has offended me, I am not inclined to hate them?"

His answer was instant, seeming mildly interested, intrigued maybe, with the conversation. "Why would this be selfish?"

"My brother was the one who wanted to come to the Light of Day Institute; I joined to look after him with no strong opinions on vampires whether they be love _or_ hate. But some of the stories you hear from the survivors here. Mutilating, raping, draining, manipulating, humiliating, they all seems to be common traits amongst vampires. So shouldn't I feel inclined to hate you and your kind for this torture you have caused others?" I look down at my feet, embarrassed at my ramblings and practically calling this stranger a monster. My scuffed boots suddenly becoming interesting, I count the small holes that had started to form in the worn leather.

Despite my embarrassment I look back up, persevering to get my point across. "And yet I do not hate vampires. None have personally inflicted _me_ any form harm, so as I said, is it selfish of me to not hate you or your kind just because vampires have never targeted me personally?"

He was silent for a few moments, he wore a pensive look upon his face, his thick, masculine eyebrows creasing together in thought. "Perhaps you are–"

He was cut off by the sound of the basement door slamming open, the sound resonating around the room as heavy footsteps stomp down the stairs, creaking one by one. A panicked look crosses my face, I had forgotten about the game and will lose at this rate. I whip my head over my shoulder to peer at the character coming down the steps. Turning back to the vampire I see him mouth the words "Stay, hide"

Thus leading me to, once again, hiding behind the dull boxes, scrunching myself into a ball in hopes of not being seen. My heart hammering in the anticipation of being found. I hear feet moving, trudging across the floor.

"Albert! Come on out, you're the last one to find, you've won the ridiculous game now can we do something else?" Anna-Amelia's voice blasts through the still basement making the shelving units shudder, their old frames groaning. She is one of the fifteen girls I share a dormitory with, the air is usually filled with her booming voice, ranting about the 'vampire scum'. I peep through a convenient hole in one of the boxes, the basement door, now wide open, lets light flood into the room, illuminating Anna-Amelia's wide frame. She approaches the bars to the cage, smothering her face between the bars "Get your ass out here, Albert! I see you cowering in the corner, don't even dare try to hide from me!" I watch as the vampire flashes in front of her, she jumps back in fright, stumbling over her own feet but she does not fall down like me, standing her ground.

As she realises the vampire could not get out of his steely cage, her posture switches from defensive to relaxed, assuming he could do her no harm from his trapped position. She leans forwards closer to the vampires passive face. "So you're the fanger the rumours about. They say they're gonna roast you like a hog on a spit." She laughs, but it's forced. Despite her calm façade being around the vampire has unsettled her, she has good reason to be. A year earlier her brother became a fang banger, two months later he wound up drained after attending a party at a vampire nest. I guess taunting this vampire is her way of fighting back.

"I've already brought my bumper pack of marshmallows; you gonna make them nice an' toasty." Her tone switches from mocking to fierce. "You deserve everything you get, being a vampire is being an offense to the Lord himself. You're all monsters, I hope you burn in hell you fucking dead freak! " She pulls her head back, getting ready to hawk up some phlegm to spit at him. I'm just about to raise my voice to stop her when the vampires pale arm snaps out of the bars as he grasps her around her throat. Her body goes rigid, then flails around as he lifts her off the ground, asserting his power over her. She slaps at his hand, trying to pry him off her but to no avail.

"I do not know or care what has made you prejudice against me or my kind but you _will not _attempt to deface me again, is that clear?" He speaks quietly but his low tone has an undercurrent of darkness, a command that cannot be ignored. He drops her to the ground where she splutters, coughing and shaking as tears start to edge her way down her face. She scrambles backwards, clambering to her feet and starts to tail out of the basement only to stop and turn, glaring at the vampire as if to make one more vulgar or derogatory comment but freezes when she catches the dark look in his eyes. Anna-Amelia flees the basement but not before I catch her body shaking in a terrified shudder.

I stay curled up behind the boxes for a while, unsure of whether to run from the threatening vampire or to attempt a conversation with him again. My contemplations were swiftly interrupted by a calm voice "You do not have to hide anymore." I peek around the boxes and catch a glimpse of the vampire crouched down and facing me in front of the bars. His face, once contorted with anger, now smooth with calmness. I edge out from behind the boxes, keeping a safe distance from the bars that, to me, are not only trapping the vampire but protecting me from him. He frowns. "I see I have made you afraid of me, I apologise, this was not my intention."

I work up the courage to utter back at him "Anna-Amelia's hate for your kind is strong and unwavering. She can be overbearing at times, I'm sorry she tried to spit on you." There's a pause of awkward silence and I fidget under his strong gaze, finding myself once again staring at my shoes.

"Albert. That's what the large girl kept calling you, isn't that a man's name?" His question is casual but I can see the corners of his mouth twitch upwards in a small smirk. I roll my eyes, if I had a penny for every time someone has asked me that. I'd have 14p.

I sigh and give him my typical answer "Yes, but I prefer Alba. My parents must have decided that I should learn that life isn't fair right from the word go." He grins and nods in acknowledgment.

"My name is considered odd too, it's Godric" I smile, finally able to put a name to the face before me.

"You would have thought they would have worshipped you here, considering your name has the word 'God' in it. That's the kind of logical these people seem to follow."

"And yet they wish for me to burn." For a moment his emotionless façade slips, his sullen expression personifying a deep sadness, but as soon as he catches me noticing he swiftly returns to his passive mask. "This game the other girl spoke of, what was this?"

I laugh, not expecting the question. "It was my turn to choose a game so hide and seek it was. It was either this or Anna-Amelia's suggestion of wrestling." I widen my eyes in mock fear. "I'm feeble, she'd squash me like a pancake."

The conversation seems easy despite my initial fear of him, my posture finally relaxes and I feel exhausted from the amount of shocks I have had this evening. I plonk myself down on one of the cardboard boxes and unwittingly fall straight through, my arms flailing in the air in a pathetic attempt to catch hold of something. I land ungracefully on my bum, arms and legs hanging over the edges of the box. I sit there for a moment the adrenalin from the surprise rushing through me.

A quite chuckle echoes through the room, my attention snaps to Godric and I see he is trying to supress his laughter. Humiliated by my foolishness, I feel my face heat up, blood rushing to the surface turning me a horrendous scarlet colour.

He has a smirk upon his lips as he asks "Was that planned?" Frustrated, I lean back, placing my hands behind my head and stretch out my dangling legs in an exaggerated relaxed position.

"Completely." We grin at one another, but his smile soon vanishes, returning to his stone like expression as if he had caught himself behaving inappropriately.

I frown and jump up and out of the traitorous box, sending it a hateful glare. "I best be off before someone finds me down here, no doubt this place was meant to be a secret." I pause, wondering what ordinary protocol was when one leaves a trapped vampire, a friendly handshake or running and screaming?

"Being left to my own thoughts for the foreseeable future is dull, perhaps you could return one evening?" His question interrupts my thoughts. I look up to his face which, once again, is an expressionless mask but I catch a hint of need in his voice but such a small amount that it's possible that I'm wrong.

I smile back at him, "Sure, I'd like that." This is the last thing I say before I scuttle off towards the stairs, in a hurry to find the others from my dormitory before they become suspicious of my disappearance. I hear one last remark from Godric.

"Until next time, Alba." I take one last glimpse at the statue of the vampire, his stance relaxed but those steely blue eyes stare intensely at me, I feel a warmth spread to my cheeks. Unable to find words I nod and turn back towards the stairs, back through the basement door pondering on the bizarre events that had just occurred.

When I return to my dormitory, a small and dark room cramped with bed frames which line the walls, the other girls are lazing about. I see Anna-Amelia sitting rigidly on her bunk, her eyes, still wide with fright, occasionally darting around the room. A small girl with dark skin and large brown eyes, Rita I think her name was, asks where I had been hiding. Everyone turns to see my answer.

"I hid in one of the storage cupboards" I feel my palms getting sweaty with the lie, I have never been a good liar and with fifteen pairs of eyes on me I feel as if I'm under interrogation. Luckily my ambiguous answer seems to satisfy them and they return to their previous state of mundane tasks. I let out a large breath of air that I had been holding and slump down onto my bunk. As I lie on the lumpy mattress my mind wanders and all sorts of trivial matters cross my mind. Need to call Brendon back home in Bon Temps. Haven't seen Jason around here for a while. That spaghetti stain will never come out of my jeans. Godric…

I drift off into an undisturbed sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. **

**AN:****_Thanks for the brilliant response, encourages me greatly._**

I woke to the sounds of arguing, a shrill voice ringing through the dormitory followed by the boom of another voice. Rita, the small girl who asked where I had hid yesterday, and Anna-Amelia are arguing, again.

"We can't just stake every vampire, the organisation is too small to even put a dent into the vamp population before we're all butchered by the rest. We need more support, to campaign our beliefs so the human race can unite and rise up against the parasites!" Rita throws her small hands into the air as if to exaggerate her point, she believes that in order to 'send the vermin back to hell' we must be patient and gain more support and funding for the cause. Anna-Amelia, on the other hand, wants to dive straight into a war with vampires and use sheer force to exterminate them. To say they don't get along would be a huge understatement, every day they argue the same monotonous topic. Except for Tuesdays, they argue about what colours can go into the dark wash on that day.

I tune out Anna-Amelia's response, knowing I have heard it at least twelve times before. Rolling over I see Hannah, in the bunk next to mine, throw a pillow over her head and scrunch it close to her ears in a vain attempt to block the noise out, she peeks out and notices me watching her. We grin at each other and she suggests we go to breakfast before World War 3 breaks out.

After a quick shower, I'm sitting next to Hannah in the dining hall with a plate of overcooked sausage and half cooked eggs.

"Have you seen Jason around lately?" She looks thoughtful for a moment and then shakes her head.

At this moment, Jason strolls into the hall with carefree look on his face, speak of the devil and he shall appear. He scans the crowd and spots me, I offer a small wave as he moves to join me.

"I was looking for you last night, where were you?" Jason's question is un-accusing, innocent but it jerks my thoughts back into last night. Hiding in the basement and meeting Godric the vampire, the Fellowship has drilled me to fear or hate vampires but, if I'm honest, he interests me. Although at first glance he seems passive, his emotionless mask slipped letting me catch the smallest glimpse of emotion, he was interested in what I had to say and even offered a small smile, laughing at my blunder with the box. However I had also witnessed his anger, how he had easily lifted a heavy frame of a girl off the floor with no effort, disgust searing through his narrowed eyes. A shiver runs through me as I remember the fear he'd instilled in Anna-Amelia, a girl who would charge head first into a war with vampires had shuddered in fear. I should fear him too.

I offer Jason my plate of food and tell him "We were playing hide and seek so I was hiding", being intentionally ambiguous. If Jason knew I had any contact with a vampire he would drag me out of her and send me home, then how would I stop his frequent reckless mishaps?

Hannah and Jason begin talking, he uses his usual Stackhouse charm and soon has her going all dreamy eyed for him. I roll my eyes and get up to leave, telling them that I was gonna head to the training field. The thoughts of last night still running through my mind, Godric had wanted me to return, should I? He could snap me like a twig if he wanted too, and yet he didn't seem to have any inclination to hurt me, just someone to talk too. I shake my head to rid myself of these thoughts. I can't return to him, I can't be his friend. If someone found out I would be labelled 'fang banger', an evil whore of Satan just for being a vampire's friend. No, I can't go, I mustn't.

Jason had performed spectacularly in the game of Shirtless Catch the Flag, he had manage to reconcile his former high school glory as the golden boy. Girls all but swooned as his sweaty form passed theirs. I had laughed as Jason passes them, oblivious to their desire for him. He can charm people without even knowing it. All I could think was that he stinks and needs a shower. The other guy he was playing against looked angry, shooting Jason jealous glares behind his back. I approach him, offering a smile and shaking his hand.

"You played admirably but Jason loves to show off so don't take losing to heart." My attempts to pacify his sudden dislike of my brother had worked and I felt him relax through our joined hands, I notice his grip doesn't slacken, lingering on the handshake.

"My names Luke McDonald and who might you be?"

"It's nice to meet you, Luke, I'm Alba Stackhouse the idiot who's running around celebrating sister." We have a small conversation after this, laughing at the jokes one another makes. He leaves his shirt off, his body was impressive but nothing I was interested in.

Brendon would crazy-murder me if he found out a shirtless man was chatting to me. We had been together for two months now, he made me laugh constantly, he says it's his mission in like to make me squirt milk out of my nose. It's safe to say that I avoid milk when his around. The only fault he has is that he can be paranoid of other males around me, thinking that I'm going to fall straight into another man's arms. I feel guilty that I hadn't thought about him at all since yesterday and resolve on calling him later.

The rest of the day had been dull, I was happy that Jason had been enjoying himself being the centre of attention all day, however Luke seem to despise this and no matter what I said his jealously of Jason was climbing.

I had called Brandon earlier, he talked my ear off about this new game on the Xbox, something to do with the evaporation of zombie mutants. I had desperately wanted to tell him about Godric, to get the secret off my chest but knew that he wouldn't approve of me talking to a vampire so I stayed silent, listening to how 'cool' it was to see a zombies head being blown 12 feet into the air. Obviously, by the pride in his voice, it was an huge achievement.

Now I was lying awake in my bed at half 2 in the morning with the sound of snores echoing around the room. 'Perhaps you could return', these words seemed to be scarred onto my mind, repeating over and over. I had already decided not to return to the vampire but there was a pull on my chest, encouraging, no, demanding that I go to the basement. After 10 more minutes of my thoughts battling against one another I decide to just go. What's the worst that could happen? In my tank top and shorts I slide my feet into my worn boots and creep out of the dormitory, unaware of a pair of eyes following me out of the room.

I find the door to the basement easily and like yesterday, it's unlocked. I tiptoe down, still unsure if this is a good idea or not. It's cold in the basement, the frigid air clings to my exposed flesh but this isn't what has me shaking, my nervousness does. I clasp my hands together in front of my in a vain attempt to keep them still.

As I come to the bottom of the stairs I see him, sitting cross-legged in the back right corner, half hidden by shadows. I edge closer the cage, standing as close to the bars that I dare, the phrase 'snap you like a twig' running over and over in my head, like a broken record. He inclines his head slowly towards me our gaze catching each other for a brief second before he snaps in front of me, seemingly appearing out of thin air. But this time I don't ungracefully fall to the floor, I proudly stand my ground. I open my mouth to greet him but my breath catches in my throat as I see his fangs run out.

My blood goes cold as his cool hands grab my upper arms, wrenching me towards him.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**_

**_AN: I wasn't going to write the next chapter until monday but a couple of reviews (and some whiskey and coke) inspired me to write. Enjoy._**

**_Previously_**

_As I come to the bottom of the stairs I see him, sitting cross-legged in the back right corner, half hidden by shadows. I edge closer the cage, standing as close to the bars that I dare, the phrase 'snap you like a twig' running over and over in my head, like a broken record. He inclines his head slowly towards me our gaze catching each other for a brief second before he snaps in front of me, seemingly appearing out of thin air. But this time I don't ungracefully fall to the floor, I proudly stand my ground. I open my mouth to greet him but my breath catches in my throat as I see his fangs run out._

_My blood goes cold as his cool hands grab my upper arms wrenching me to him._

A small shriek manages to sound from my lips before I'm encased in Godric's arms, pressed up against him, chest to chest. The bars dig into my body, one of his arms slide around my back, pinning me to him whilst the other reaches up to push my thick, auburn hair over my shoulder. I look up to his face, his eyes are trained on my neck and I'm unsure if it's the frigid air or his hungry stare that sends a shudder through me. I try to pull myself backwards, my hands gripping his forearm behind my back, trying to pry it off. Moving a mountain would have been an easier task, I can't even move him an inch. I stare at his face, his fangs seem larger, more threatening up close. My heart beats erratically as he places his free hand on the back of my neck, bringing it so close to the bars that I can feel the cold radiating from it, close enough that he could sink his fangs into my vulnerable flesh and drink me dry.

"Please don't" I stutter, this escapes my lips before I can think of a more persuasive plead. My eyes are wide with fright and I can't stop the violent shaking of my body. For a flicker of a second he looks into my eyes, I can see my own fear reflected in his. The fog of hunger that clouded his eyes begins to evaporate. My small plea must have gotten through to him because he loosens his hold on the back of my neck and back, I try to scramble away but his grip doesn't slacken enough for me to escape.

"Just keep still, just for a moment." There's a roughness to his voice that makes me look at him, his handsome features twisted in anguish as he battles with himself for control of his hunger. I stay as still as I can, not wanting to provoke any vicious reactions from him. It's only a minute before he fully regains control but it feels like a lifetime, my heart rate never settling down, my breath coming and going in small, sharp bursts.

When his grip finally loosens I pull back, fully intending to run back up the stairs and throw myself on to my bunk, safely hiding under my duvet from all the monsters but he grabs my wrist in a gentle but firm grip, stopping me from escaping.

"Let me explain" His eyes stare imploringly into mine. I knew it was a mistake to come down here, even this vampire had just manipulated me by being friendly so he could lull me into a false sense of security.

"I don't want to hear it, just let me go" I throw my weight backwards and try to pry his fingers from mine, nothing. It's like having a statue wrapped around my wrist, I can't even shift his pinkie finger.

"I was starving myself even before I came here, it's been a long time since I last drank human blood, and yours just smelt so rich. It overwhelmed me, I apologise if I frightened you. I'll keep me control in check at all times now." He seemed sincere, if he had wanted me dead and drained he would have done it by now, my strength could not even over power his pinkie finger. How could I stop him?

"You could have just said I smelt nice, you didn't have to go through all of that to compliment me." My voice is shaky, coming out in breathy squeaks. "Well you smell lovely too." I crack a small smile which strains my cheeks. It isn't genuine but humour is my best defence, a shield I use to hide behind or to diffuse a situation. Currently I have no idea which one I'm doing.

I decide to change the conversation, distracting him from his hunger. "You said before you came here, not before they kidnapped or stole me. Your exact words were 'before I came here'. You make it sound as if you volunteered to be trapped down here."

His face softens but his grip stays firm. "If not me then someone else, I offered myself."

It seemed ludicrous to me that he chose to be here. "Why?"

"Why not?" He answers frustratingly.

"They'll ridicule you. Burn you in front of others so that they too will have hatred for your race ignited within them and if they can burn you sucessfully then they will seek others to burn too." My voice is becoming stronger, less panicked with every word. I stop trying to pull from his grip and stand straight proving to him that this isn't just rambling from a scared little girl.

"Perhaps not, perhaps they will see that in offering myself that not all of us are the monsters that they believe we are. Maybe it could fix everything, somehow."

"It won't. I can promise you that at least. First chance you get, run away, this place isn't worth dying for."

He laughs, it's a low laugh, not gutsy but a dark chuckle. "A human that wishes for me to live, now that is a surprise." I can't decipher if he is sad about this or impressed.

I ponder my next words, he had attacked and scared me, if I hadn't have spoken when I did he would have drained me, consequently ending my life. Should I convince him that he is wrong and that he does deserve to die? My brain rejects the idea immediately. No he wasn't evil, just hungry. "You may have tried to eat me, but you stopped yourself, showed restraint. I think we need more vampires like you not less."

He lets go of my wrist, slowly, reluctantly. I think he will latch straight back onto it if I tried to leave so I show him that I'm staying by parking my bum on the floor, avoiding the boxes this time. He reflects me, sitting on the other side of the bars with his legs crossed. He frowns and stretches legs out instead and straightens his back. With little else to do in this basement, I mimic him. He stares at me and crosses his arms, I copy him. I raise my hand to scratch a sudden irritating itch on my noses and notice he does the same. He caught onto what I was doing, playing mimic the other. A genuine grin spreads across my face and I jump to my feet, eager to see if he would do the same. He does.

I stand on one foot, he copies. He raises his arms in the air, I copy. I jump up and down six times and giggle when I see the powerful vampire bounce on the spot, exactly how I did it. He decides to do a hand stand, flipping upside down with perfect balance. I go to copy him but stop when I notice him stretching higher, he moves from balancing on the palm of his hands to his fingertips. He accomplishes this perfectly.

He catches my eye and gives me a smug grin, I narrow my eyes at him and attempt to copy but as soon as I try and kick my feet over my head I topple side wards, landing hard on the side of my body making my ribs ache.

"I guess this means you win" I say through gritted teeth, the pain in my side adding to my annoyance of losing. I sit up from my sprawled position on the floor and see he is still in his upside down position, balancing on the very tips of his fingers, not even wobbling. What I also notice is how his white shirt has fallen around his chin, his lean chest on show. I look respectfully back to his eyes but can't help the linger of my gaze on the pale flesh, his pronounced muscles contracting under the minor exertion. When my eyes catch his I go beetroot red, his smug grin from winning had significantly widened. Embarrassed, I look away to the boxes, wishing I could curl up behind them and hide from this humiliation.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch some sudden movement and see he is sitting back on the floor in front of me, the constant barrier of the bars between us. To my relief, he pulls his shirt back over his chest, I don't think I could manage to resist staring much longer.

"So tell me about your day?" I begin, he answers and we fall into an easy conversation. I talk for the main of it but he offers small insights into his life, for example, 'centuries ago, the Queen of England was once my consort', he also told me about his child's and Casanova's competition to bed the most women in one night. I ask him to expand on these small insights but he is reluctant to tell me much and swiftly changes the conversation back to me.

After an hour of chatting I try and suppress my yawns but some escape me, Godric notices this and tells me that I should go back to my bunk and sleep but I refuse each time, too interested in the conversation to think about leaving. After another lengthy conversation Godric informs me that that its near sunrise and I groan, the fellowship believe we should rise with the sun as part of coming out of the darkness and into the sun. Ridiculous.

I stand, brushing my jeans to rid myself of the dust that has gathered on them. "I think it's time for me to run screaming from the scary vampire, you've made my night interesting, if not slightly petrifying at some particular points."

"He rises from his sitting position as well, once again I notice his height. He doesn't tower over me but he is tall enough to look intimidating. "Again, I apologise for my slip but your blood is enthralling, I can only imagine it's like drinking life itself"

I don't know how to respond to this. Thanks Godric for letting us part on an awkward note. "It's alright, I guess you couldn't help it, being so hungry and all." I give him a weak smile and turn to leave but he speaks up before I can climb the stairs.

"It's been a long time since someone has interested me, a human no less. Return to me one night." My eyebrows crease together, his request sounding more like a command. Last night he had asked me to return, I want to say that I might do or I might not, making sure he knows that the decision is mine, but I can't bring myself to say the words. They catch in my throat, like someone is pulling them back inside me. All I can manage is a nod of the head, agreeing to return, his lips twitch upwards in the works of a smile before he slips back into his expressionless mask, keeping the world out. I run up the stairs and back into my bunk, throwing my boots off.

When I finally lie down, hoping to catch at least a few moments sleep before the wake up alarm wails through the dormitory, someone leans over my bunk, leaning lower and lower until their face is close to my ear. I look up to the unknown character and see Anna-Amelia's face twisted into a hateful glaring, her usual boom of a voice is low, sinister as she hisses "I know where you've been, fang banger." She tangles her fat, sausage like fingers in my hair and agonizingly yanks, pulling me out of my bunk and across the dormitory.

**AN: Sorry if there seems to be too much Godric in this, maybe I should put less of him in. Let me know what you think.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. I'm not sure what I would do if I did.**

_**Previously**_

_I look up to the unknown character and see Anna-Amelia's face twisted into a hateful glaring, her usual boom of a voice is low, sinister as she hisses "I know where you've been, fang banger." She tangles her fat, sausage like fingers in my hair and agonizingly yanks, pulling me out of my bunk and across the dormitory._

**_On with the new_**

I scream in pain as Anna-Amelia's meaty fist yanks at my hair, dragging me behind her as she marches to the door. I try to fight back, slapping at her arm but it has little effect and as I do she wrenches my hair sharply, earning another scream from me as my scalp feels like it's being ripped off. Luckily my scream wakes the other girls in the dormitory.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I hear Hannah screech, Anna-Amelia stops and I take the opportunity to gingerly twist my head to the side, being careful not to too pull on my now sore scalp. I see some girls sitting up in shock, wide eyes ranging from confused to fear.

"This fangbanger has been secretly rendezvousing with the vamp in the church basement, she must be a traitor spying on us!" Her voice is loud but not strong, there's an undercurrent of hysteria to it. Her incident with Godric had unnerved her more than I originally thought.

Hannah jumps up from her bed, her long legs holding her strongly as she stands in front of Anna-Amelia, "Christ! This is Alba, not some random girl we don't know, let her go! What reason would she have to spy on us?" Before Anna-Amelia can respond Hannah turns to me. "You're not secretly plotting against us all with a pair of fangs are you?" She has one eyebrow raised in an exaggerated inquisitive gesture as if she seriously doubts my small being could be a spy.

I shake my head silently, still in the shock of being violently dragged from my bed and terrified that I had been caught meeting with Godric. These people don't treat alleged 'fangbangers' nicely, they see them as being as worse as the 'creatures of Satan' themselves.

"I saw her tonight, skipping off, so I followed her. She went down there, into the basement and I imagine it was so she could spread her legs and let the vampire fuck her." She turns to me with vehemence. "Like the feeling of a cold, dead corpse between your legs?" Some of the girls gasp at her vulgar comments. I'm equally as horrified, disgusted that this heft of a girl would accuse me of being such a slut. I find a hatred for her that I have never had for another person but before I can react to her derogatory comments a loud slap echoes through the dormitory. Anna-Amelia eyes go wide and her mouth hangs open in surprise, not much different to the expression of a fish. Hannah stands there, her once raised hand now points to Anna-Amelia threateningly.

"I don't know what has gotten into you but while you're in this dorm' you will calm the fuck down and not attack people with silly, childish accusations. Do I make myself clear?" Hannah's eyes are narrowed and her voice low, Anna-Amelia just glares back but slowly releases her tight grip on my hair and pushes me away from her after shooting me a look of hatred and disgust.

The door creaked open and Rita's small form scuttled into the room. Nobody had noticed her leave the room at the start of the skirmish so we were all surprised when Reverend Newlin came marching in after her, closely flanked by Gabe.

"What's this I hear about a fight so early in the glorious day?" His voice rings out in the dormitory, no hint of any anger or annoyance but an unnatural amount of cheerfulness residing within it.

"This fangbanger," Anna-Amelia gestures to me, "has secretly been meeting up with the vampire in the basement of the church." She looked proud of herself, as if it was her civic duty to report this.

The reverend frowned at her. "Now where did you hear about a vampire in the basement?"

She looked sheepish for a moment. "Just a rumour, sir."

He sighs and runs a hand through his perfectly combed hair. "How about when I'm free this evening, you and Miss Stackhouse here come to my office and talk about how rumours are as bad as sinning." He beams, his face looking impossibly merry. Me and Anna-Amelia grumble out an agreement.

"Come to my office at 7 this evening, after dinner of course." With this he swiftly turns on his heel to exit but stops and swivels back around to proclaim. "Now no fighting again girls, remember the lord frowns when he sees young ladies like your bright selves fighting and we wouldn't want that would we?" And with this patronising comment he strides out of the girl's dormitory.

The tension had eventually died down in the dormitory, it was time to get up anyways so most of the girls went about their daily routine. Some came over to me and checked if I was okay, I nodded my head and told them I was fine, just a little shaken. One particular girl had quietly asked if I wanted her to cut all Anna-Amelia's hair off while she was sleeping. I laughed at this, and appreciated the joke as it helped ease some of the tension from my shoulders. However, when she sternly nodded and said "just give me the word", I suddenly wasn't so sure it was just a joke.

Today they had us training, where a pretty significant amount of exertion was needed and for a person who's had not slept last night, it was excruciating. Every mile we had to run felt like six, my legs were screaming at me to stop and rest but Gabe driving behind us shouting 'encouragement' like "if you fail this you're not only a disgrace to your race but the good Lord as well, you may as well be a fangbanger" pushed me to carry on. After learning the basics to wielding a stake and telling silver apart from other metals we finally got a break. Hannah had been dutifully at my side all day, every time Anna-Amelia tried to come near me or speak she would move us away or send a hateful glare in her direction.

"I just don't understand what would make her act so paranoid and suspicious. I haven't heard any rumour of a vampire." She rants as we make our way over to the water fountain, I stay silent about Godric even though I desperately want to let the secret out but telling Hannah would be no good, what if she turns on me like Anna-Amelia? However, despite my burning secret, I'd been grateful for her company and she'd managed to keep me from worrying. But there was still this nagging fear in my chest that I'll be found out, that people will begin to believe Anna-Amelia.

I shake my head and respond. "After what happened with her brother a year ago I think she's just suspicious of any suspected vampire business. Especially since she didn't even know her brother hooked up with vampires before they found him in that river."

"It still doesn't give her the right to treat you the way she did. My aunt got changed into one of them and is now living as an undead parasite, draining her victims. So I have a sob story too but I'm not running around throwing crazy accusations at people." Her eyes harden as she mentions her Aunt, I didn't know this was the reason she hated vampires but I had guessed it was a personal reason. Most of the peoples who join this place have a burning hatred for vampires because of personal experiences. I wonder if this should put me off seeing Godric.

Later, I find Jason and make sure his doing alright. He proudly boasts that he has been getting special attention from Steve Newlin himself and his wife Sarah. I see a dreamy look in his eye when he speaks of Sarah. I have seen this same look in his eye a thousand times before and I hope he doesn't sleep with her, just please don't sleep with the wife of a man who is raising an army. I pray to God that to at least give Jason this much sense.

I smile and nod through his story and when he finishes he asks me "So are you doing okay in this place?"

I strain to keep my smile up, my stomach feels like it's being twisted and lurched upside down. I want to tell him the truth. I want to say that I've met this vampire who is terrifying one moment but brilliant the next. I want to tell him about Anna-Amelia and her accusation. But I can't, he would tell me to pack up and send me home on the next flight and then how would I stop him doing stupid things?

Despite my lack of skills in lying I manage to force out "I'm doing fine, I think this place is doing me some good." If my brother had been more perceptive perhaps he would have seen my shifty eyes or the twitch of my lips as I try to maintain a beam that can only be describes as the 'Crazy Sookie' smile.

After a plain dinner of potatoes and vegetables I tell Hannah and the girl who offered to slice Anna-Amelia's hair, whose name I found out to be Stevie, that I'll see them later as I head off to the reverends office. The halls were full of people doing one thing or another, I happen to catch a conversation between two burly men about an order of wood coming in to make the stage. As I ponder what a stage is needed for I arrive at the reverends office. The door a bleach white with the words 'may his holy light shine upon you' printed in gold letters above it, I knock and wait for a response.

"Enter if you love Jesus." I roll my eyes and open the door to see Anna-Amelia already seated in a chair opposite his desk. I take the seat next her and look up at the reverend. He has his hands crossed over the desk and that winning, picture perfect smile painted across his face.

"Now I understand that there has been some conflict here" he cheerfully begins. "I was wandering Albert, if you could tell me why Miss Kanner believes you have been running down to the basement to meet our secretly imprisoned vampire." I can feel my palms becoming sweaty, nervousness setting in as my breath comes out in shallow bursts. The best approach is to tell the truth but twist the bits that will cause trouble.

"In a game of hide and seek I hid down there, I didn't know he was down there, I swear. But that's when I saw him. I was terrified, I mean, a vampire was right in front of me, so I just ran out of there before he could hurt me." My eyes are wide with fear but as Mr Newlin interprets it as fear of Godric, it is actually the fear of being found out that I was being friendly with a vampire.

"Then why did you return to him last night?" Anna-Amelia snidely retorts. The reverend leans forwards, his chin resting on his raised hands in a display of eagerness to hear my answer. I try to think as fast as I can but as the seconds drag on I realise that I must say something before they become suspicious. My heart hammers as I frantically search my mind, my fingers twisting and stretching the hem of my shirt, a nervous habit.

The only solution my frantic mind can think of doesn't appeal to me, it feels wrong to say it but it's the only way to keep me out of trouble. "I returned to make sure he fully understood the abomination that he and his kind are." I feel nasty for saying it but it's the only way to make them believe I'm not a vampire sympathiser.

Both the reverend and Anna-Amelia raise their eyebrows in surprise, Mr Newlin makes a hand gesture for me to expand on this. The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"I- I shouted abuse at him. I don't know if the Lord thinks it's right or not, shouting at another person, but the way I see it is that his not a person at all but a vile leach." The reverend nods in agreement, like I've said the most obvious thing in the world. "We learn here that God wants his people to be warm, have compassion and a heart. Human traits. So vampires must be the devils creation as they are the complete opposite of this. Well, as you have said right from the very start, Mr Newlin, we must send the vermin back to hell, one vile vampire at a time." I feel as if I need to wash my mouth out with soap, the offensive words leaving a bitter taste. It may be wrong to spout words I don't believe in the slightest but it's for the greater good. The greater good entailing not getting me and Jason kicked out of this place.

Anna-Amelia grins wickedly, for once giving me a look of approval instead of loathing. I look to the reverend and see him smiling contently, they had both fallen for my lies. I guess I'm not as bad a liar as I thought. However, the reverend suddenly has a quizzical look in his eye and he seemingly contemplates something in silence for a moment.

"Anna-Amelia says you were down there quite a while." I gulp, here in comes. His going to find me out. I'm going to get me and Jason into trouble. "Did you get him to speak?" The reverend finishes.

I wasn't expecting the question, I stutter back in shock that he had only spoke a little. Mr Newlin grins and I wonder what about my answer has him so happy, I try to think back to what I said but nothing I can think of has given me away.

"Miss Stackhouse, both myself and a couple of select others have tried to get the vampire to talk but all he seems to do is nod or shake his at very few questions." I see a flicker of annoyance cross his face. "I want you to go back into the basement tonight, with me and my associate, Gabe, to do exactly what you did last night to get him to speak."

I understood perfectly what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to go down into the basement with him to tell Godric that I hated him, that I loathed his existence. He wanted me to tell Godric that he belongs to hell.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. As I have spent all of my 37p and now living off basic rice, I doubt I ever will have enough money to afford True Blood.**

_**Previously**_

"_I want you to go back into the basement tonight, with me and my associate, Gabe, to do exactly what you did last night to get him to speak."_

_I understood perfectly what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to go down into the basement with him to tell Godric that I hated him, that I loathed his existence. He wanted me to tell Godric that he belongs to hell. _

**On with the new**

As much as I try to refuse the reverends offer the more excited he becomes. He believes that if I can get Godric to speak then he will eventually leak all his sins. Apparently, Steve wants to lay all of Godric's past regrets out for the whole congregation to judge whilst burning him, which Steve calls 'a holy bonfire'.

"But he just won't comply, refusing to tell me of his heinous past." Steve whines, Anna-Amelia nods her head, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Have you tried forcing it out of him? Injecting liquid silver into his bloodstream, slicing off his fingers, encasing him in a solid silver box. Something along those lines." Her thoughtful look deepens, heavily concentrating on more creative ways of vampire torture. Her suggestion makes my blood run cold, but I'm not surprised, violence seems to be a cruel part of her. What horrifies me is the reverends attention to her ideas, jotting notes on a small pad in the corner of his desk.

"Doesn't that sound a bit extreme?" They both stop what they're doing and stare at me like I've grown an extra nose. I guess I can only agree to Steve's idea of me going back to the basement to talk to Godric about the 'atrocity' of his race. I don't like the idea but if it will keep them from trying Anna-Amelia's radical means then I will persevere.

"It does seem to be the way forward at the moment, perhaps if –"

I interrupt the reverend mid-sentence, not letting him further consider torturing Godric. "That disgusting fanger needs to know where he belongs, if last night's tongue lashing didn't get through to him then tonight's certainly will." Steve beams at me and surprisingly so does Anna-Amelia, they must truly believe what I'm saying.

Thus leading to me, Mr Newlin and his henchman, Gabe, trailing down the corridor towards the basement. Much to Anna-Amelia's disappointment she had been dismissed but the reverend had brightened her mood by promising her a front row seat to the 'holy bonfire', she'd scuttled off a happy bunny.

Each step closer to the basement filled me with dread. I try and make a list in my mind of what I could possibly say that would pacify Newlin's need for abuse towards the vampire race but not deeply offend Godric at the same time. Although I know the reverend wants details of Godric's past, secretly, I hope that he won't say anything about it, with hold the information just so spoilt Steve Newlin doesn't get what he wants. A world first, I'm sure.

Down in the basement I approach the cage, Godric had raised to a standing position when I had entered the room but stopped short when he saw the reverend and Gabe standing behind me, his eyes hardened and he looked to me questioningly but I marginally shake my head in a silent plea to not mention our previous friendly banter. Steve places a hand onto my shoulder, his fingers resting lightly on the cloth of my shirt but his thumb glides over the exposed skin on my collarbone. This catches Godric's attention, he gazes at it as if assessing the meaning behind this gesture.

"Now Godric, Albert here", he squeezes my shoulder and I supress an eye roll at the mention of my full name, "has just been begging me to let her come down here to chat with you about the abomination of your race. And being a decedent of Adam, well I just can't say no to her pretty, little face." The reverend flashes his winning smile but Godric's face stays smooth, his expressionless mask setting in. He looks away from Steve's hand and nods, agreeing to let me slander his race.

I had hoped he would vehemently refuse.

Steve squeezes my shoulder one last time before letting go, signalling that he wanted me to begin. I scrutinize my brain for a starting point, should I openly ridicule his race or subtly hint that he belongs in Hell?

"That's right fanger, I'm gonna tell you exactly where you belong just like I did last night." My eyes implore him to play along. "Tell me, have you reconsidered your absurd notion of superiority?" I flash him a false, mocking sneer. Every fibre of my being hates what I'm doing but I know I have to do this, it feels as if I'm merely a puppet being controlled by the master puppeteer, pulling the right strings to make me spew venomous lies.

Godric doesn't react, he just stands stock still with his chin raised in a stance of dominance.

"You are nothing down here. You vampires have always had dominion over humans, well how does it feel to know that your life is in our hands for a change? And believe me, you are going to pay for the crimes your race has committed, you will burn for them." I try to keep my voice strong but it wavers towards the end, sounding less firm then I had intended. I stare over Godric's shoulder, unable to look him in the eye. He stays silent, his lean body staying still, he doesn't offer any comments back the way the reverend had wanted. Good.

For half an hour I carry on like this, asking him questions here and there but mainly focusing on an opinionated rant ranging from accusing him of corrupting Jesus's flock to calling him a parasite. As time goes by Steve's smiles drops, an obvious irritated look upon his face. He hadn't got what he wanted.

I pause for a moment hoping the reverend will interject but he stays silent with a grumpy frown on his face, I'm running out of ideas so I resort to just plain insults. Keeping my voice venomous, I carry on insulting him, "you are the epitome of a monster." It was after this comment the reverend raises his voice after staying silent for so long.

"I think that's enough Albert, I'm sure your message has gotten through to him." He sounds tired, disappointed that I couldn't get Godric to break down and blurt out his past deeds. I repress a sigh of relief, secretly happy that I didn't have to keep insulting Godric all night. Steve edges closer to the bars, uneasily shuffling forward before he stands right in front of Godric. I can see Steve's back shaking slightly in fear or anger.

"I will not tolerate your kind on this earth. You have a week and a half before you become part of our holy bonfire." And with this Steve Newlin turns on is heel and marches out of the basement, not sparing me or Gabe a glance.

For the first time since I began my rant I look Godric in the eye, his face is still passive but his eyes look dejected. I mouth to him the words "it won't fix everything", reinforcing what I had told him last night, him offering himself peacefully won't fix everything. He doesn't respond to my words, keeping as still as a statue.

I hear Gabe grunt behind me and mutter about this being a waste of his time. I don't want to leave with Gabe, he leers at the women around the camp, his eyes slowly creeping up and down their bodies. At the welcome party, a few nights ago, he roughly grabbed girls, whispering lewd comments in their ears as he grabs a fistful of their arses. Ironically, I felt safer staying here, with a vampire, then leaving with Gabe.

"Maybe I could stay a little longer, I wasn't quite finished telling him how unnatural his race is. You can go." For once the lie seems easy and for this, I'm thankful. However, Gabe has other ideas.

"You can't stay down here with the nasty vamp." He snatches my arm into his grip, his fingers squeezing my thin forearm with such pressure that I'm sure I'll have a bruise there in the morning. He starts to drag me towards the exit, my feet skid along the floor and I am powerless to stop him so I just follow. I flip my head back to have one last look at Godric and see he is scowling darkly, his eyebrows furrowed together in rage. I mouth the word 'sorry' to him as Gabe shoves me in front of him to walk up the stairs, making him conveniently eye level with my arse as he ascends the stairs behind me.

When we reach the top he strolls away saying, "I'll be seeing you around, cupcake."

I shudder in repulsion and walk back to my dormitory feeling my mood spiral downwards. That look of hatred on Godric's face was scorched onto my mind, he hated me and I don't blame him for it after the things I had said. Self-loathing sets in as I walk through the old, cracked door and throw myself onto my bunk. I hide under the duvet, despite it being only 9 o'clock, and squeeze my eyes shut in a vain attempt to sleep in hope of silencing my guilty conscience.

"Alba, what happened? What's wrong? "Hannah's voice is full of concern and I feel her hand on my back, warm and comforting. I decide to tell her but leaving out the part of me being friendly with a vampire, as much as I like Hannah, I've only known her a few days and what I do know for sure is that she is a vampire hater. As I tell her about having to shout abuse at the vampire in the basement, although her gaze is sympathetic, she can't seem to understand why I feel so conflicted, her reasoning was that he had probably done so many more merciless deeds in his undead life that me shouting at him was a small form of justice. I told her about Newlin's intention to burn him in front of the whole congregation and was uneasy that her only response was 'Isn't it what he deserves?'

Despite my weary feeling of her response she manages to take my mind off Godric, we play a game of cards on her bunk, chatting about our everyday lives back at home. She tells me about her life, describing what it's like living in so many different cities as she travels around with her Dad for his job. I tell her about Brendon back home, she asks me if he was hot and looks disappointed when I say his semi-good looking but he was funny more than anything, always able to make me laugh. As we chat other girls start shuffling into the dormitory, some getting ready for bed and others joining in our childish game of Snap.

When it hits midnight we declare Stevie the winner, after she won a particularly thrilling Snap showdown between her and Hannah, and everyone hits the hay, shuffling about to get back to their own bunks. Anna Amelia had come up to me, asking what it was like to 'give the fanger a piece of my mind'. I vaguely tell her some of the details and she looks disappointed, rudely telling me to leave after she doesn't get the gossip she wants.

Later, in my bunk, time ticks away but my eyes stay wide. The whole room is hushed with the sounds of shallow breathing and the occasional snore, I'm jealous of their easy ability to sleep. I hadn't slept since the night before last and was physically drained but my mind kept struggling on. I could feel a pull on my chest, it felt like a rope was tied around my heart and viciously being tugged, like someone was pulling on the rope. It must be the guilt, burrowing its way deep inside me. With tired eyes I raise to stand, searching for my boots under my bed. The only way I can solve this is to just go to him. Apologise and explain to him, perhaps then he will forgive me and this pull in my chest will cease. Before I leave, I look around the faces of the sleeping girls, checking that there are no prying eyes. I check Anna-Amelia twice.

In the basement I stand before Godric, keeping close to the foot of the basement stairs, just in case his new found hatred for me overwhelms me so I can escape. To my surprise he doesn't look at me in disgust but curiosity. But then again, he wears a mask on his face to cover his emotions so well.

I take a deep breath, calming myself before I explain everything to him. The words tumble out of my mouth, the whole explanation becoming an outlet to vent everything. Anna-Amelia's violent beliefs and cruel ways, Steve's passion to obliterate all vampires and even Hannah's misguided hatred. But most of all, I get to finally say I don't hate vampires. That I don't believe they are all what Steve hatefully preaches, that it's wrong to want to destroy them all just for what they are. I end with an apology for everything I had said to him earlier that night, how wrong it had felt and that I fully understood if he hated me now. And to my surprise, he laughed. A genuine laugh, no malice or sadness connected to it, just pure amusement.

"A human worried about my feelings, this is certainly new." I frown at him, and open my mouth to speak but he cuts me off. "It sounds like you had no choice, in fact it sounds as if you were protecting me from torture by agreeing to slander me. This must have taken some courage on your part and for that, I am grateful."

I smile, it felt good to finally get the secret that I didn't hate vampires off my chest, even if it was telling the secret to the vampire himself. He had listened and understood, but most of all not judged or hated me for any of my opinions and for this, I was happy. It was rare in the Fellowship of the Sun to find someone who would like you if you didn't share the exact same views as them.

As I stand there, grinning to myself, Godric speaks.

"Come closer", his hand makes a beckoning gesture. I edge marginally closer to the bars, remembering that he had been overwhelmed by my smell last time. He looked frustrated, cool eyes suddenly becoming annoyed.

"I won't hurt you, now come closer." My feet move automatically to his command before my head can think it over. We stand mere inches apart and he slowly raises his arm, slipping it in-between the metal bars, careful to not touch the silver. He gently encircles his fingers around my bare wrist, his grip surprisingly lukewarm, not the dead chill that I was expecting.

"I thought all vampires were cold?" I muse aloud, he gives me a knowing smirk but doesn't answer my question, being strangely ambiguous. Ignoring my question, he raises my arm and inspects it, his other hand also slipping between the bars to rub the darkened area of skin on my forearm. I realise that there's a bruise there, light purple spots gathered in the area that Gabe had grabbed me in, there are angry darker patches that make me wince when his thumb glides over them but his touch also sends a soothing tingle through my skin, making me relax.

"It will heal soon but he shouldn't have touched you this way." His voice is gentle and smooth, lulled with his strange accent, but his eyebrows furrow in slight anger. "I've met others like him before, you should not let yourself be alone in his company." He gives me a stern look, and I nod. I seriously had no intention of letting myself be alone with Gabe, the thought sends a shiver through me.

He releases my arm, his fingers lingering on my skin before he draws them back to his sides, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loss at the disappearance of the sudden contact.

After this we sit on the dusty floor and begin a meaningless conversation, which mainly consisted of me asking him odd questions which ranged from 'do you think that the media controls our social norms?' to 'are you able to grow a beard?'. I found out that he can't because he was turned before he could grow one. Some questions he doesn't answer, staying silent and not disclosing too much about himself. At times like this I catch his reluctance to answer and swiftly move on to another random question.

As time moves on I can feel myself becoming sleepy. With the pull in my chest soothed and my conscience eased I feel my eyelids beginning to droop, I lean my head on my bent knees and let my body leans on the side of the bars. Letting out a breathy sigh as I feel my mind settle and my breathing ease out, I vaguely remember that I'm meant to be listening to Godric's answer but I don't have the heart to defeat this delicious desire to sleep. The last thing I'm aware of is a gentle touch to my cheek before I drift off into a dreamless sleep.

**AN: Sorry it took so long for this to come out but how charming is Gabe's character? He could make any lady become weak at the knees, swooning at his allure.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood**

_**Previously**_

_As time moves on I can feel myself becoming sleepy. With the pull in my chest soothed and my conscience eased I feel my eyelids beginning to droop, I lean my head on my bent knees and let my body leans on the side of the bars. Letting out a breathy sigh as I feel my mind settle and my breathing ease out, I vaguely remember that I'm meant to be listening to Godric's answer but I don't have the heart to defeat this delicious desire to sleep. The last thing I'm aware of is a gentle touch to my cheek before I drift off into a dreamless sleep._

**On with the new**

A week had passed since the night I had fallen asleep in the basement, I'd woken to Godric gently shaking my shoulder. He told me that it was almost sunrise so I had scampered off back to my dormitory.

Throughout the duration of the week training in the light of day institute progressed, advancing into steak wielding and attack skills. I almost got staked myself when Stevie from my dormitory was hysterically jabbing a wooden stake around in the practice fights. Sarah Newlin proclaimed that I was naturally talented with a stake when I had managed to knock Stevie's from her hand with mine in order to avoid being stabbed, I call it luck. There was a tense atmosphere building between her and her husband, they would bicker in the corner when they thought no one was looking and both looked at Jason with that pathetic dreamy look in their eye. However, I was happy for Jason that with this attention he seemed to be rising to the top of the class, even being allowed to stay in the Newlin's home.

Every night for the week I had tried to see Godric, sneaking out when everyone else had fallen to sleep and creeping into the basement. A couple of times I had nearly been caught, the Light of the Day soldiers almost catching a glimpse of me but luck must have been on my side because so far no one suspected about my friendship with Godric.

One night I had snuck down a chess board to keep us occupied, he was clever and could beat me every time and although I complained when he repeatedly won, I demanded to play again, my fierce determination to beat him, at least once, increasing with every lost game.

Tonight was going to be different, I crept past the guards and down into the basement laughing at the seriously lack of security in this place. Tonight I _will_ find out why Godric wants to meet the sun, the question had plagued my mind for the entire week and every time I tried to ask, he becomes a silent statue, not speaking until I ask a simpler question or leave.

Five minutes later, after not getting the answer to the one main question I wanted I finally break down and practically beg him to leave. "All day I have been listening to excited giggles of the holy bonfire. Well that holy bonfire is you roasting in the sunshine. I don't want that to happen. I'll find something to unlock the cage. Just please, run."

He shakes his head and it frustrates me further.

"How can you be so flippant about your life? So passive and polite to the people who will gladly torture you." My voice was becoming increasingly louder as my anger grew.

"Alba, calm yourself. There is no point of trying to talk me out of this, I want to burn" His words fill me with desperation. Although we haven't known each other long he was the closest thing I had to a good friend here.

"Why are you so desperate for this?" My voice is small, tired of the same argument. All the times I had asked this he had stayed silent, not giving me any answer but surprisingly, tonight the silence is filled with the answer to my ever-present question.

"Two thousand years of being a monster, I once believed that there was no right or wrong, only survival or death, and by this philosophy I killed thousands, destroying lives for sport. I now realise that I was wrong, the crimes I have done cannot be atoned for in this life." He wears that expressionless mask again, I can't tell if his upset or angry with what his done.

Before I can answer his head whips to the side, looking up towards the basement door.

"Someone is coming." His eyes zoom back to my face, calculating something completely unknown to me.

"Hide." He says whilst pushing me towards the boxes. I can hear footsteps stomping down the stairs, just as I manage to duck behind the boxes a figure emerges at them bottom. It's dark in here, the basement door is only slightly ajar so I can't see the persons face. They sway on the spot, scratching their belly before propelling themselves forward in a stumble grabbing onto the bars for support. I can see the silhouette of a bottle in the figures hand, whoever it is, they must be drunk.

It raises an arm to point at Godric, a finger sways in the air accusingly at him. "You know." The slurred words drip from the persons mouth and I recognise who it is in an instant. Gabe.

After a swig from the bottle he carries on "You and I are alike. We are both powerful, we can take what we want because we have the muscle to do it. I can beat a puny recruit half to death just because I want to." He laughs, its rough from the alcohol and sounds malicious. Before he carries on speaking he takes another deep swig from his bottle and belches loudly.

"But, then again, we are nothing alike." Gabe carries on, contradicting himself from earlier, making little sense in his drunken state. "Whereas you cower in the shadows I rise up with the sun. God gives me his blessing to do what I want to who I want because it's I have the light. But you" He sneers at Godric, coming closer to the bars to press his face against them. "You are a fucking disgrace! What the fuck do you think Gods going to do to you when we burn you. Personally I hope he sends you straight to –" He gets cut off.

"_I told the witch doctor I was in love with you  
I told the witch doctor I was in love with you  
And then the witch doctor, he told me what to do_

_He said that ...  
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang  
Walla walla, bing bang"_

My eyes widen and I scramble to rip my ringing phone from my pocket in a rushed panic to silence it but the damage is already done, I hear the sounds of a bottle smashing on the floor, the liquid landing with a loud slop. Alarm bells go off in my head as Gabe grunts out his words "What the fuck was that?"

Mt heart beat accelerates as he staggers in my direction, I clasp a hand over my mouth to quieten my ragged breaths. Squeezing my eyes shut I hear the boxes I'm hiding behind be thrown across the room, landing with a loud thump.

I try to crawl away but a hand tangles itself in my hair, yanking me to my feet. Gabe brings me close to his body, so close that I can smell his foul breath mingling with the stale sweat that clings to his clothes. He twists us round so we face Godric.

"So this is the whore you want to fuck?" He laughs mockingly at Godric.

I peek around Gabe to look at Godric and see his eyes are dark, his hands fiercely clutching the bars, ignoring the sizzle of his skin as it blisters on the silver. "Let her go." His voice is deep, each word is spoken slowly as if his trying to control himself. The command sends shivers through me, dark and full of fierce malice.

"This is what I'm talking about" Gabe gurgles on, ignoring Godric's deadly gaze. "If you were to fuck her, she would be a whore of Stan. But if I were to fuck that tight little pussy of hers." He leers at me, his tongue poking out, to lick his lips. "Well the lord will shine his holy light on that."

I can't help it, fear pulses through me and I shout out the word "No!"

His eyes snap to me once again, "So you do want the fanger boy more than an alive man, you must like it dead and rough" His grins wickedly and I fight to get out of his grip but he just pulls my hair painfully, stands ripping out of my scalp. I shriek in pain.

He wobbles on the spot for a moment, unbalanced from his drunken stupor and I take this as my chance to get free. With as much strength as I could muster I shove Gabe hard, he wasn't expecting it and his mouth hangs open in shock as he topples to the ground. Unfortunately, his grip on my hair doesn't falter and I end up falling alongside him.

"You fucking bitch! I'm gonna teach you what it like to have a real man, not a little dead shit!"

I scream and try to scamper away but he wrenches my head closer to him and rolls himself on top of my small frame. He crushes his body against mine and I gag on his foul stench.

He starts to reach for the button of my jeans, his fingers fumbling with my zip. I scream again and claw my fingers down his face, he grunts and releases my hair. I try and push myself away but freeze when I see his meaty fist sailing towards my jaw. I squeeze my eyes close, unable to move away under his weight, waiting for the blow that would surely break my jaw.

Instead of the bone crunching blow I felt Gabe's weight lifting off me. I curl up and shuffle myself backwards until my back reaches the wall, wrapping my arms around my legs in a natural instinct of self-defence.

I look up to see the cage bars had been twisted, now resembling jagged stumps that had been fiercely bent. It looked impossible, to see such thick bands of metal become twisted and bent like it was nothing more than play dough. A groan followed by deep, ragged breaths distract my gaze, my eyes flicker over two silhouettes. The smaller figure, who must be Godric, clutched Gabe by the throat, forcing him to his knees. The rooms too dark to make out much else so I edge closer, shuffling forwards inch by inch until I'm close enough to see the look of pure hatred and disgust flooding Godric's usually calm expression. His fingers squeeze and Gabe turns an unhealthy shade of blue.

"You will not touch her. If I so much as smell her on you then next time I won't be so kind." And with this he threw Gabe away from him, making the monster of a man seem like a pitiful rag doll as he flew through the air, his limb flailing out as he slams heavily into the opposite wall. In the blink of an eye Godric sped over to Gabe, his pale face barely inches from Gabe's, his fangs were out making him look entirely threatening and dangerous.

"We are nothing alike." He grabs Gabe by the chin, his fingers digging into the stubbled flesh whilst jerking his head roughly upwards, forcing Gabe to look in his eye. Gabe's face, once contorted with fear, now softens, his eyes glazing over like he was in some kind of trance.

"You will remember nothing of this. You didn't see me or Alba tonight, in fact you didn't come to the basement at all, you just went home to bed after falling over and twisting your ankle." As he says this he grabs Gabe's foot and sharply twists. I listen for the snap of bone but hear none. "Now leave." Grunting with his eyes still glazed over Gabe rises and limps away, ascending the stairs without looking back.

"H-h-h-how d-d-id you just do t-that?" I ask him, still in my curled up position on the floor. My arms were tightly wrapped around my knees in a vain hope to stop the shaking that seemed to make my whole body tremble.

"It's a trick all vampires can do, we call it glamouring." He walks over to me at human pace, crouching in front of me. "You look as pale as a vampire, are you going to be alright?" In all honesty, I felt sick to my stomach, if Godric hadn't intervened I would have been violated by Gabe in the sickest way possible. I felt cold and light headed, still unable to stop the shakes, I absently wonder if this is what going into shock is like.

Godric slowly reaches out and places one of his hands on my knee, the warmth from his hand radiating in to my leg. Slowly the shakes begin to ease off.

"Why are you so warm? Cold. Dead. That's exactly what Gabe had called you, so why aren't you cold?" I ask this question because not only has it been digging at my mind but I need some sort of distraction.

His lips pull upwards in a ghost of a smile, he removes his hand from my knee and easily pulls one of my hands towards him despite my tightly curled up position. The pad of his thumb glides across my knuckles, igniting a burning desire for more within me. His gaze moves to my hands as he his fingers brush against my racing pulse. He grins, and brings my hand close to his lips, he breaths deeply before placing his warm lips on the back of my hand. I feel my cheeks redden but don't pull away as he places several more kisses on the back of my hand, each one leaving a trail of heat seeping into my flesh and filling me with desire.

"There your fine now." Placing one last kiss on my hand as he lets it go.

"Sorry?" I stutter out.

"You were going into shock, I thought it would be prudent to stop that." I notice that the tremors have ceased and I feel less light headed. He had successfully stopped me going into shock but had left me wanting more of him, to kiss him, to brush my hands up that lean, muscular chest of his and trace my fingers along his dark tattoo. I had to stop this trail of thought before I acted on them. I rise from the floor and stand on surprisingly sturdy legs.

Godric also rises and walks back towards the cage, stepping in through the mutilated bars. I whistle in amazement, "This is impressive."

"It was nothing." He says this flippantly, not showing off or undermining his skill but genuinely meaning that this brutal mutilation of metal, that I thought only a god could achieve, was literally no physical feet to him.

**AN: I had to write this wearing mittens, I honestly can't afford to put the heating on. The luxury of being a student, ay?  
Hope I haven't ruined Gabe for any of his fans out there. I'm sure deep, deep, DEEP down he was a nice guy.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**

**_Previously _**

_Godric also rises and walks back towards the cage, stepping in through the mutilated bars. I whistle in amazement, "This is impressive." _

"_It was nothing." He says this flippantly, not showing off or undermining his skill but genuinely meaning that this brutal mutilation of metal, that I thought only a god could achieve, was literally no physical feet to him. _

**On with the new**

I stare in amazement as Godric bends the bands of metal back into its original straight position, the muscles in his arms barely straining against the effort. The metal groans as he twists and pulls, when his finishes the bars mostly resemble the straight position they were in before.

I think over Gabe's vile attack, close to becoming a victim in the harshest way. A shiver runs down my spine remembering the feel of his greasy fingers twisting and pulling my jean button, the fear had frozen me, numbing me to the core until my body rattled. This is too dangerous. I owe it to my brother to keep out of trouble and now I realise being close to Godric is the key to getting me into more. I take a deep breath, letting the oxygen flow to my brain in an attempt to help think of the best solution but there is only one. This friendship has to end. I won't return to him, I'll leave him to the Fellowship of the Sun. It feels wrong to even think this, not just put your shoes on the wrong feet wrong but a gut wrenching feeling, twisting my insides. But despite how awful it feels, I can't be in that situation again, powerless to stop an attacker who is hell bent on making me pay for being kind to a vampire.

"Godric," I begin, he frowns as if he knows what's coming, "I don't want this to happen again." He shakes his head.

"It won't" He ensures.

I raise an unconvinced eyebrow, "around here 'fangbangers' are treated as worse as vampires, and if I carry on putting myself at risk to see you then I'm pretty sure they'll burn me right alongside you. I can't return to you after this."

"I am a two thousand year old vampire, do not insult me by thinking that I cannot take care of us both," his voice was quiet but with an undertone of harshness.

"A two thousand year old vampire, whose brilliance astounds me, will be nothing more than ash the night after next. I can't watch you die whilst others cheer in celebration."

"What are you going to do?" He asks quietly.

"I'll find Jason as soon as I can, explain everything to him and convince him to leave. He's a good brother, he'll understand."

He inches forward slightly in his cage. "Stay, just for a couple more nights."

"I can't, it isn't safe here anymore. I won't hassle you again. Goodbye Godric." He doesn't say anything in response, just stands there. The only visible movement is his hands, curling up, becoming stiff in annoyance.

I make it two steps before I hear a terrible screeching noise. My heart clenches in fear of the clash, the sound of scraping metal fills my ears in an unnatural shriek. So suddenly that I don't have time to react I'm being spun around, strong hands hold me still, keeping me from moving. Godric's face is inches from mine but I'm not looking at him, I stare over his shoulder, eyes wide in shock as I see the whole front of the cage had been torn and shredded. Scraps of metal litter the floor, looking as if they had been chewed up and spat out, the bars mangled far beyond recognition.

His hands glide to my hip, distracting me from the metallic chaos. I gaze up at him, he looks down at me with a harshness that I couldn't understand.

"You will not leave me with these fools" I try to respond but my mouth had suddenly gone dry. His hands begin to glide up from my hips, the warmth from them penetrating through the thin material of my plain top as his fingers glide over the curve of my hips.

"Return to me in the night."

I barely stutter out a response, "I cant." He shakes his head slightly, a small smirk playing on his lips whilst he slides his hands around my ribs, moving further and further until his palms press against my back to bring me closer. He rests his forehead on mine, the intimacy of the gesture making my heart thunder. I wanted to kiss him, press my lips against his to satisfy the intense desire his lips had left in me after he had kissed the back of my hand. Just a little closer, that's all it would take.

"Return to me" He repeats whilst stroking the ends of my hair with his fingers. I had never wanted anything more but I can't, I shouldn't. This is wrong, I can't be wrapped in Godric's embrace, I already had a boyfriend and it would hurt him if he knew what I was doing.

I raise my hands and place them on his chest, I firmly try and push him away but his grip tightens, bringing me closer to him until my head is tucked underneath his chin. His arms now encircle me, trapping me against him to hinder me from leaving.

"Promise to return to me, swear it or I'll steal you away."

"Why do you want me around so badly?"

"Do you not feel it too? That pull each night, beckoning you to come to the basement, to me." His fingers absentmindedly play with the ends of my auburn hair.

Now that I think back, I remember first feeling the pull, a week ago, the night I had screamed abuse at him. I had took the feeling to be guilt but could I have been mistaken? It felt like a rope had been tied around my heart and viciously tugged, the feeling returned each night, only satisfied once I was in Godric's presence. If I tried to ignore it the desire to run to the basement intensified, so I always gave in to it, not fully understanding why I wanted to be down here. My face twists in confusion.

"You wouldn't understand it but its natural. Never fight it."

"What is it? What's wrong with me?" He smiles a devilish grin, keeping me in the dark about this mysterious pull.

"Return to me," he repeats once more before he tilts his head downwards, lips graze my forehead, lingering on the light skin for a moment before pulling back. My resistance dissolves and I nod, not trusting myself to form a coherent sentence.

Satisfied, he removes one of his arms to lightly grasp my chin, pointing my face towards his, looking deeply into my eyes. I can feel a fog spread across my mind, blocking my own wants and desires until my only focus is his command.

"Sleep" is the only word I hear before my mind begins to drift into unconsciousness. I fight the feeling, desperately trying to fight the sleepiness that clouds my mind. My knees go week as my eyes begin to flutter shut, Godric bends down a little, using his free arm to scoop up my legs as his other arm stays firmly planted on my back. Feeling the gentle sway of Godric walking my mind shuts down completely drifting off into an undisturbed sleep.

**AN: I know this chapter's short but it seemed right to end this part here, I've written more which will be on here soon. Hopefully.**

**Also to the concerned reviewer about my final note on Gabe, I thought he might have some fans out there who think his just seriously misunderstood. I didn't want to offend them with my very negative portrayal of him. Im sure theres a fanfic out there that paints Gabe in a good light... Or maybe not.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. **

_**Previously**_

"_Sleep" is the only word I hear before my mind begins to drift into unconsciousness. I fight the feeling, desperately trying to fight the sleepiness that clouds my mind. My knees go week as my eyes begin to flutter shut, Godric bends down a little, using his free arm to scoop up my legs as his other arm stays firmly planted on my back. Feeling the gentle sway of Godric walking my mind shuts down completely drifting off into an undisturbed sleep. _

**On with the new.**

I wake up to the sounds of tired yawns and small shuffles, I prise my eyes open, still tired, and see the other girls in the dormitory starting their morning routine. I absently hear Anna-Amelia prattle on to Rita about the lock in as I try and focus my mind on what I was forgetting. I swing my legs over the side of my bed as Hannah in the bunk next to me yawns and rolls over, mumbling out a good morning before rising in a true Frankenstein's monster fashion. I grin at her and grab my stuff for the showers, claiming one of the few that work before the others steal all the hot water.

It wasn't until I was rinsing my hair of the fruity shampoo that I remember last night. Gabe had almost-. I don't want to dwell on that, too frightening to even considers what might have happened. I also remember Godric, the way it felt as he placed his lips on my hand and temple, his hands gliding over the shape of my body but I also remember the screech of the metal as he ripped apart his cage to stop me from leaving. I had promised to return to him, despite the danger I could be putting myself in but the way I see it, the true danger is me acting on my desires, a moment of just pulling him closer to kiss him means betraying my boyfriend, Brendon, who had always been faithful to me.

The guilt begins to gnaw at me and I resolve on telling him everything when I return to Bon Temps, hopefully he'll believe me when I say nothing happened between me and Godric.

I begin to wonder how I had gotten to my bed, the ending of the night seemed foggy and I resolved to ask Godric about it tonight, the second to last night he will ever have before he offers himself to the sun. I contemplate if there's anything I can say to change his decision but nothing inspirational springs to mind. I selfishly hope he'll change his mind and run before it's too late.

Today there's more training but for a couple of hours we get special free time as the reverend and his wife show a couple around the church. I use this time to search for Jason, I hadn't seen him recently and worried for him. I ask around and a few of the girls say they'd seen him with Luke, building something. I see him from a distance, hammering a nail into the wood as Luke holds the structure steady. I guess these two must have resolved their issues.

As I get closer to the pair Luke calls, 'Hey Alba!' whilst grinning at me, he raises his hand to wave, forgetting he was meant to be holding the wood and part of the structure collapses on itself causing Jason to swear. I laugh at the blunder and greet Luke in return.

"So what's all this?"

"Special assignment from the rev himself", Jason grins proud of himself as Luke does the same. "We got to build a stage here so on the morning of the lock in the vampire in the basement can be tied to it and fry in the sun." I feel ill, Jason's building the platform that will eventually end Godric but I don't blame him for being proud of himself. This place seems to be like poison, seeping into the blood stream and infecting the brain, misguiding the ordinary and nice people, like Jason and Hannah, to become bloodthirsty.

"Jason, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Aww I'd love to Alba but I've got to finish this before tonight, the reverends orders." He looks at me apologetically, whilst his rough, dirty hand rub the back of his neck.

"Perhaps later? I really need to talk to you."

"Yeah sure, I'll see you later." And with this I nod and leave them to their construction. Jason gives Luke a meaningful look and shoves him a little, not in a nasty way but pushing him to do something.

As I'm walking away I hear Luke shout "Hey Alba!" I stop and turn around, curious to what he wants. He runs up to me and looks nervous as he stands before me, fidgeting on the spot. "I was wandering, if tonight, maybe, you know if you're not busy or anything, if you wouldn't mind helping me move some boxes into the church?" My mouth responds before I properly think it over.

"Yeah sure, I'll come find you after I talk to Jason." He beams a wide smile which lights up his face and it's only then the eager attitude of his sinks in. I should have said no and not have gotten his hopes up. I could say that I've changes my mind but before I can he walks off whistling to himself merrily.

I spend the rest of the day with Hannah, she tells me of this guy she fancies called Oliver. He had arrived late to the Fellowship and as soon as Hannah set eyes on him he was all she could talk about. Unfortunately all the other girls had also noticed this tall, tanned and muscled guy but Hannah persevered to 'woo that glorious muscle God' as she likes to say. After running around the training field twice we were allowed free time, the sun was beginning to set so after a quick scrub in the shower I wave goodbye to Hannah I set of to find Jason.

I ask around for him but others say they haven't seen him since this afternoon, after another hour of searching I give up, figuring he must be with a girl or something and look for Luke instead. I find him sitting on the steps to the church, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. He had combed his hair and put on a crisp, clean shirt and guilt instantly begins gnawing at me again, I feel as if I'm leading him on.

He notices me and bounces up. "So where do we start?" I ask him, smiling lightly.

He grins and leads the way to a room full of boxes of food, toiletries and games. He explains that they're all for the lock in the next night and need to be carried into the church from a storage unit half a mile away. There were A LOT of boxes.

As we walk back and forth between the storage unit and the church carrying boxes Luke tells me about his life and almost football career if it hadn't been for a nasty injury. I nod sympathetically as he tells me the frustration and anger he felt, that was until the Fellowship of the Sun made him realise that vampires were all to blame. I didn't quite understand the connection so I just nodded along. My mind wonders off as he talks, my thoughts constantly springing back to Godric as I begin to feel a small tug at my heart, pulling me towards the basement. I look to my watch and see it's almost 11pm, I'm unconvinced that we'll finish soon so I'll just have to ignore the pull. But, as time wears on, the pull becomes hard to ignore, every time I try and supress the ache it pulls harder, commanding me to go to Godric.

Whilst I'm listening to Luke proudly boast about his knowledge on vampire attack techniques I'm knocked down by a forceful shove from behind. The boxes I had been holding tumble to the ground with me, my hands and knees scraping on the path.

"What's going on?" Luke shouts as I turn over to see Gabe with a fiery anger in his eye, the reverend stand behinds him wearing a cold look on his face, no trace of his usually cheerful smile.

"This whore of Satan has been spying on us, we caught her sister trying to infiltrate us too."

"There has to be some mistake, my sisters back home in Bon Temps, she can't possibly be in Dallas." My voice wobbles, panic and confusion begins to seep through to my mind.

"Lies won't help you now, fangbanger." Gabe reaches down to grab me but fear kicks in and I scream, scrambling away from his touch. He comes at me again, going to grab my leg so a kick him as hard as I can. I absently hear the reverend tell Luke how me, Jason and my sister had been working with vampires to bring down the Fellowship.

"No, please, I don't know what you're talking about." Gabe ducks under my next blow and wraps an arm around my middle, lugging me over his shoulder. The memories of last night return, how his body had crushed mine, smothering me with that foul stench of stale sweat and alcohol. My hands shake and my fighting becomes less coordinated, small bows to the back that lack power. I beg Luke to help but he stands there conflicted, like his unsure of weather to trust me or not.

"She isn't going to quiet down is she?" The reverend sighs, sounding bored of my pleading. "Very well, shut her up." I freeze in fear, wondering what this could mean. Gabe drops me to the ground and I groan in pain as I land heavily on my side. Before I can move a meaty fist flies through the air and lands on the side of my skull knocking me out cold.

A thick haze has spread over my mind, incoherent thoughts run together making little sense. I try and focus but my brain refuses to work, trying to lull me back into the darkness. At first I begin to welcome it, the black of being unconscious seemingly less confusing then this haze. But one thought manages to cross my mind, it was a small, mundane thought but enough to jolt my brain back into action. I can't hear the loud, booming snores of Anna-Amelia, which means I'm not in my dormitory. My eyes snap open and I see that I'm not in my bed at all, my mind franticly tries to remember what had happened. Panic sets in as I can barely see anything in the darkened room. My cheek rests on a cold, concrete floor, my body sprawled out in an awkward position.

"Thank God, you're awake." The voice is high, with a familiar southern twang. Sookie. I roll over and slowly sit up, she helps me lift my weight until I can sit steadily on my own, the movement makes my head pound, making me dizzy.

"Sookie? What's going on?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

"We're in the basement of the Fellowship of the Sun. We're locked in a wire cage."

"Oh God, this is seriously bad. What the hell are you doing here Sookie?"

She explains how a vampire names Eric had wanted her telepathic help to find the vampire sheriff of area 9, thus leading to her and another person named Hugo infiltrating the Fellowship until they were unfortunately caught. I'm guessing the vampire she's looking for is Godric, when I explain to her what me and Jason are doing here she swats the back of my head, the pounding becoming significantly worse.

"Ow, Sook! What the hell was that for?"

"That is the most idiotic thing you both have ever done, I can't believe I believed you when you told me you went to a camp. Why on earth did you join an anti-vampire church?" Her eyes look furious but I can also see the fear in them.

"It was Jason's idea, something to do with finding his place in life." I take a moment to look around, I peer through the darkness to see that I'm at the other end of the huge basement, if it was lighter in here I would be able to see the mangled wreck of Godric's cage on the opposite side.

"What time is it?" I ask Sookie, wanting to know if Godric would be awake or not.

"Half four in the afternoon." She replies casually and my eyes widen, I had been out the whole night, morning and afternoon. Gabe must have hit me hard, I raise my hand to gently feel the swollen bump on the side of my forehead. Sookie looks at me with sympathy and raises her hands to my head, looking at my bump closely. Since we had lost our parents when we were young Sookie had acted as mother hen, even more so after Gran had died.

She frowns, "that's an awful angry looking bruise, all purple and blue." I wince as she glides her thumb over it. "It will get better, though it may hurt for a while."

I bite my lip and ask her, "Sookie, how are we going to get out of here?"

"Don't worry, Bill will come and save us."

The voice of a complete stranger startles me, "If your vampire was coming to save you, wouldn't he have come last night?" I turn to see a man who must have been Hugo sitting in the corner. He looks anxious, his eyes dart around the room, fists clenching and unclenching.

"He will come." Sookie says defiantly, and so we sit and wait like damsels in distress.

I worry whilst I wait for Bill gallant rescue. What if Bill doesn't come? I feel like a sitting duck, waiting for the Fellowship to do something with us. I also worry about Jason, if they brought me here then where is he? I pray that he had somehow managed to escape. Hours go by as we sit there, I barely speak because of my throbbing head. Sookie sits close to me, her hand clutching mine in a tight grip. I squeeze back once in a while to reassure her.

"I can't take this anymore." Hugo suddenly snaps, I had forgotten about him. All this time he had stayed silent in the corner. He jumps to his feet and starts banging on the fence that keeps us trapped, his fingers curl around the thin wire as he wrenches it violently back and forth, the fence tremors and rattles but his efforts achieve little else. I can't help but think back to the brilliant mutilation of the bars that Godric had accomplished in mere seconds, this would be nothing to him. Sookie rises to stand and rests her hand on his in an effort to calm him.

She gasps and wrenches her hand back, "It's you! You're the traitor." She shouts accusingly. They begin to argue which makes my head spin, the bickering feels like sharp blows to my head. After a while they hush down and I'm grateful, I look up and eye Hugo suspiciously, blaming him for my sister's predicament. I look back down in the silence of the room and start wondering what Hannah and the other girls are doing. I absently hear a door open and Hugo instantly begins shouting again, his voice gets louder as he becomes angrier, prattling on about protection. I press my hands over my ears in a vain attempt to block out the painful noise.

I look up to see Gabe had entered the room, he fumbles with the lock before slamming the door open. Hugo babbles on about going into hiding and Gabe shoots him a deadly look before punching him hard in the jaw, he falls to the floor like a rag doll. I stand back in fear, knowing perfectly well what Gabe is capable of. He begins to brutally beat Hugo, thick black boots stomping on his head and chest. Although I blame Hugo for getting Sookie into danger I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I only watch as Gabe beats the man, fear freezing me in place. Sookie however is the braver of the two of us and jumps on him in attack, her slender body hanging from his as he slams her into the metal shelves. They both grunt at the impact and she topples of him, Gabe takes the chance to place his greasy fingers around her neck and squeezes.

My mind thinks quickly as I search for a weapon and an idea springs to my mind. I kneel down and with quick, nimble fingers I unthread my lace, all the while Gabe shouts vile, vulgar comments. I can see the flesh of Sookie's neck becoming a fierce shade of red as she chokes for breath. Despite my fear I dash forwards and loop the lace around Gabe's thick neck and I pull as hard as I can backwards, strangling him. He releases Sookie and tries to pull the lace from around his neck off, he begins to choke and trips over his feet toppling down, bringing me down with him.

"You fucking fang loving piece of shit! I'm going to teach you what it's like to be with a real man." He grabs the hem of my top and rips at it, I scream and try to punch him but my small blows are nothing against this monster. I feel the cold air bite against my chest as he rips my shirt in two, I scream, the fear of being in this situation again truly terrifying me.

"Spread your legs for me, cupcake, just like you do with the corpses." I spit in his face and he slaps me hard on the cheek, my world spins momentarily, the throb in my head now a full pounding. I feel his hands undo the front of my jeans and I scream again trying to kick him away but he pins me down so I'm unable to move with his huge weight on top of me. His slimy hands trace a path down my stomach, leaving my skin cold, his fingers begin to descend down into the hem of my underwear and tears start leaking down my face.

For a split second I hear the familiar screech of metal before Gabe is violently pulled off me and thrown to the other side of the room, his body crashes into the metal shelves with an ugly clatter. I feel hands gently grip under my arms and pull me up, I come face to face with Godric, his eyes scrutinizing my body to assess the damage. His gaze lands on the nasty swollen bruise on the side of my head and his eyes darken. He lets go of my arms and speeds over to Gabe's groaning form. Sookie runs up to me, now seemingly recovered from her attack, and wraps her arms around me as I hear the distinctive snap of breaking bone before I peek over Sookie's shoulder to see Gabe's body slump lifelessly to the floor.

**AN: Finally at the lock in! So chuffed with myself, thank you for all the charming reviews, they honestly keep me writing. **


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do no own True Blood**.

_**Previously**_

_Sookie runs up to me, now seemingly recovered from her attack, and wraps her arms around me as I hear the distinctive snap of breaking bone before I peek over Sookie's shoulder to see Gabe's body slump lifelessly to the floor._

**On with the new.**

As my chin rests on Sookie's shoulder I gaze at Godric, his eyes passively stare at Gabe's lifeless form. Slowly, he brings his head up to looks me in the eye and suddenly it's not Sookie's arms I want wrapped around me in comfort. He moves his gaze to Sookie and dispassionately utters "You should not have come."

She whips her head round and releases her grip on me to stare at him in wonder. It was then that small screams of alarm and clatters could be heard from upstairs.

"Bill!" Sookie exclaims in hope as she races forward.

"No." Godric speaks, "I'm here my child, down here." As soon as the sentence is finished there's a brief whooshing sound before a blonde, muscled vampire stands at the doorway starring at Godric with amazement. I guess this must be the infamous child who challenged Casanova. He edges closer to his maker and sinks to his knees in a dutiful stance.

"You were a fool for sending humans after me." Godric says this in a soft tone but with an undercurrent of harshness, scolding his child.

Whilst they talk I turn to Sookie with concerned eyes, she had wrapped her arms around herself as if the action would keep her from falling apart. She's also shaking slightly so I place my hands on her arms and gently rub whilst giving her a reassuring smile. She smiles back gratefully and wraps her arms around me once more, it feels nice to have the closeness and I squeeze her back.

"God, I'm so glad you're okay." She whispers in my ear, her voice sounding slightly hoarse but I'm unsure if that's because of the damage caused by Gabe or if she's overwhelmed by the situation.

"I'm glad you're okay too." I whisper back.

"You are in so much trouble when we get home, grounded in fact." She says flippantly, with a note of humour to her voice. A genuine laugh escapes my lips and I release her from my grip.

"This one betrayed you." We both look up to see Godric gesturing to an unconscious Hugo.

"His with the Fellowship, they set a trap for us." Sookie says but her words fall on deaf ears, both vampires seemingly ignoring her.

"How long has it been since you've fed?" This springs my mind back into last week where Godric had almost bitten and drank from me and I subconsciously raise my hand to my neck. Godric looks to me then down with a hint of sadness, as if his disappointed in himself for nearly biting me.

"I require very little blood anymore." As he says this a high pitch wail shrieks through the basement followed by bright flashes of light. It must be some sort of alarm.

"Save the humans, go." With these words it's easy to see the air of command Godric holds, the vampire in front of him bows his head in a loyal stance but looks conflicted. Its then I realise that Godric intends to stay in the Fellowship and follow through with his suicidal plan.

"Godric, you have to come with us. You can't stay with the Fellowship." My voice is quite but I manage to make it sound strong.

He turns his body slightly towards mine and looks at me as he answers, "Alba, we've argued about this countless times. My answer remains the same." He doesn't look away after this and his child notices. Tall and Blonde turns to me, looking inquisitive as if he was assessing who I was. His look rapidly darkens and changes to a cold, hard glare.

I'm about to respond but he interrupts me, "I am not leaving your side until-"

"I can take care of myself." The severity of Godric's tone leaves no room for argument.

Sookie grabs my hand and races forward, dragging me with her. "Come on, we have to go."

"Spill no blood on your way out." And with this Sookie begins dragging me to the door, my feet trip over each other as she unstoppably marches up the stairs. I look back to see Tall and Blonde reluctantly following us as Godric stands still, looking down in contemplation and anguish. He isn't leaving, just waiting for Steve Newlin to rally down the stairs and present him to the sun. Its then decide that I truly hate the Fellowship, whilst I have been here I've been beaten, bullied and almost raped twice so its time I did something to return the favour.

To royally screw them over I'm going to take away one thing they want most, a vampire to burn. I won't give them the satisfaction of burning him.

As we cross the top corridor I stick my heels in the ground, she spins around and gawps at me exasperatedly.

"Hurry up, we've got to get out of here." Her frustration emphasizing her southern twang.

"There's something I've got to do, I know this place like the back of my hand, don't worry, I'll see you out front." The words hurriedly spill out of my mouth and before she can argue back I twirl on my heel and start jogging back until I come face to chest with Tall and Blonde. He looks at me thoughtfully and raises a hand almost as if to stop me from leaving, I think for a second that his going to force me along with them, just to follow Godric's orders. But he lets his hand fall back to his side and glares at me

"If you want to go off on your own, by all means." And with this I shoot off and run down the steps to the basement one last time.

My head starts to spin as a result from being knocked out earlier. When I approach the bottom of the stairs I slow down in hope to dampen the thumping. However, the dull thumps turns to painful throbbing so at the bottom I stop, close my eyes and place my hand on my head, attempting to ease the pain. Nothing happens until a pair of warm hands grab my head in a gentle hold, strong fingers thread through my hair and my eyes flicker open to see Godric standing close. He moves his thumbs to rest on either side of my head and gently rotates them, soothing my aching temples.

I peek at his expression and he seems far more relaxed now than he did earlier.

"I told you to leave and yet here you are." To my surprise, he doesn't sound angry.

"The night before last you told me that you would steal me. Well tonight I'm stealing you away from the Fellowship of the Sun." He raises an eyebrow and a small grin plays on his face, if I didn't know any better I would say that he's impressed.

"And why are you stealing me?" He asks with a hint of humour in his voice and his hands drop from my head, I instantly miss the contact.

Thinking for a second, I answer "I could say something completely romantic here, a heartfelt declaration of love filled with emotion and tears. But no, dear Godric, I'm stealing you to piss off the Fellowship."

"Stealing a 2000 year old vampire to infuriate a church? What would that sister of yours think?" That small grin of his begins to grow, I'm surprised that usually passive and emotionless Godric is being so playful. Then again, we did play 'copy the other' on one strange night.

"She'd say that I'm bloody crazy, now come on, we're leaving." And this is all it took for the grin to fade and the emotionless mask to be put back on. I try and tug at one of his hands, but he puts them at his side so I can't even move one.

"We need to leave," his only response is a solemn shake of his head. "You don't have to do this." My voice is quite and sounds fragile. "Please Godric."

"No." The finality of his tone makes me shiver.

"I won't leave you behind."

"Yes you will, now go."

"No!"

His fangs click out, and he moves threateningly close to me, his chin poised upwards in a stance of intimidation. "Leave." This one word is filled with malice. He leans closer and lowers his voice, "Leave before I make you."

Godric acting like this was terrifying, his stance screams power and I know I'm such an insignificant human to him with no real strength to stop him. But instead of running and screaming, which I did consider, I decide to do a brave thing. I raise my shaking hands and place them gently on either side of his head, reflecting what he had done to me before. His skin feels warm under my fingers as I rotate my thumbs slowly on his temple in a small gesture to calm him.

My voice is quite, the fragile tone making the words slip out like a whisper from my lips. "I don't understand why, but you have helped this tiny, insignificant human and with a feeling of gratitude she's decided to return that favour. One way or another, I will help you Godric." His fangs slip away with a small click and his features softens.

There's a loud crash from above that interrupts his response, he looks up and listens intently. I strain my ears too but with human ears I hear nothing. My hands slip from his head and he unexpectedly grabs them. Bringing them to his lips, he lays a quick kiss on them before letting me go.

"Stay here and wait for me to return." He says hurriedly, I nod dumbstruck and in a flash he's gone and I'm left alone in the basement.

It takes two seconds for me to also turn around and run back up the stairs.

I navigate my way to the main room easily but as I approach the doors burst open and a large group of the Light of Day soldiers come flooding out, all looking dejected and fearful. Amongst them are some of the girls from my dormitory, I try and hide behind the corner but it's too late, I had already been spotted.

"Alba! Oh thank the Lord you're okay." Hannah runs up to me and launches herself onto me, her arms wrapping tightly around my small frame. "Steve Newlin told us that you were working with the vampire in the basement. Is that true? Are you okay?" Her voice is filled with concern and my heart warms a little.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Listen, I got mixed up a little in the vampire business here. My sister came to spy on the church, I had no idea and Steve thought I was a spy too. I swear I wasn't spying on all of you." I rush through the rest of the explanation, a hint of desperation colours my voice as I try to reassure her that I didn't plot against the church.

"Don't worry, I believe you. You're an awful liar anyway, you always look down at your feet. When you stole my pudding and swore that you didn't I thought your gaze was going to bore holes right through your boots." I laugh softly, many people wouldn't have believed me and I think, perhaps I have undervalued her friendship. "Ahh, bloody chains!" She exclaims exasperated, I now look at her appearance and I see silver chains crossed on her body, her long dyed blond hair tangled in the chain links.

The others from the group had all left and now I see many vampires leaving the church, some spare me and Hannah side along glances, one wearing a cowboy hat glares hatefully and hisses with a mouth full of fangs. I shoot him a look of disgust before he stomps out of the church.

"What on earth happened in there?" I ask her.

"A vampire, that's apparently older then Jesus, told everyone to go home. Oh, and your brother shot Steve Newlin in the head with a paint ball gun." She says whilst trying to pry her hair from the chain links.

"What colour paint?" I ask casually.

She wears a look of disbelief on her face, "Really that's what you're asking?"

I give her a small small, "Listen, I have to go find my brother and sister, and then we've got to leave. It isn't safe for us here. Can you do me a huge favour and get my things from the dormitory? I don't think the others will take too kindly to me being there." She nods and says she'll be back in a few minutes.

I walk inside the main part of the church, the huge room is impressive but I only have eyes for my sibling, praying to God they're okay. My eyes zero in on Jason, who has a blob of paint on his chest but otherwise seems unscathed. With a slight jolt of shock I realise Sookie's boyfriend, Bill, is here too. He fusses over her, holding her neck as he inspects the bruised damage caused by Gabe's violent hands. I begin to walk over to them but promptly stopped by Tall and Blonde, his long fingers wrap around my arm and squeezes uncomfortably tight. He leans close to me with an irritated look on his face, his handsome features twisted in scorn.

"Your connection to my maker will cease, if you attempt to talk to him again I will tear every one of your fingers off." His voice becomes dangerously low. "Try to touch him and your fingers won't be the only thing you'll lose." His voice is vicious, each word is hissed through his fangs which are hazardously close to my face. "Understood?"

I gulp and nod meekly, not wanting to anger him further. He pats my head with a large hand in a patronising gesture, as he walks away I muster up the bravery to ask one question, something I had been curious to know.

"In that competition of who could bed the most women in one night between you and Casanova, who won?" He stops in his tracks and slowly turns to face me, a cocky smirk plays on his lips as he winks at me. And with this he strides out of the church leaving me none the wiser.

"What was that all about?" Sookie asks inquisitively, I turn around to see her marching towards me with Jason and Bill in tow.

"Just some friendly vampire banter. Nothing to worry about." I reassure her, when Jason approaches I punch him hard in the arm.

"And where the hell have you been!? And if you say with Sarah Newlin I swear to God I'll start a charity to raise money to grow a brain cell for you." He looked incredibly sheepish but before he can answer Hannah runs in with mine and Jason's bags slung over her shoulder. I take them off of her with thankful words.

"We must leave soon and return to Godric's nest." Bill speaks.

I turn to Hannah, she's the only part of this place that I will greatly miss. "Hannah, I don't think we're going to get the chance to see each other again, I'm going back to Bon Temps after this and I think you should go home too." I give her a hug, her arms wrap tightly around me. "Thanks for everything you've done for me, you're a good friend."

And with this we leave the church, unbeknownst to us Stackhouse's that we would be returning. Very soon.

**AN: I felt as if a retelling of the lock in had been done many, many times before so I tried to give a different look on it. Thank you for all the kind words and I will update very soon, the next chapter I have been eager to write so I'm quite excited about it. **


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I am now the proud owner of True Blood.**

**Slang Translation: If you see the word 'tapped' (Jason says it), then it means to screw, fuck, make love or have sex with. Some prefer to call it the horizontal happy dance.**

A car that was waiting outside of the church took us to Godric's home. I wasn't sure what I expected but the modern, open house surprised me, filled with neutral colours and interesting little ornaments that looked as old as him. I perched on the end of an expensive looking couch next to Jason as we stared in awe around the magnificent room. Sookie had gone to change into some clothes a woman had lent her.

The house was filled with vampires and humans, mingling amongst one another. Many that I see are flirting, suggestive looks and small, intimate caresses can be seen around the room. Some humans stand dutifully by a particular vampire's side, not saying a word until their 'master', as I heard some humans call them, speaks directly to them in some sort of command. I'm bewildered to why they subject themselves to be degraded in such a humiliating manner. I carry on looking around the room, my gaze avoiding the direction Godric is sat.

I had seen him briefly as I entered, he was sitting on a modern white chair whilst a queue of vampires welcomed him back. He had looked over at me but I quickly scampered off after seeing Tall and Blonde glare dangerously at me from his position next to Godric.

I shake my head at the memory and turn to Jason, "So Sarah Newlin. You just couldn't resist her, could you? Her husband had huge weapon collection and dedicated soldiers at his disposal but you still went along and tapped her."

He looks at me with a guilty expression, wide eyes implore me to forgive him. He then raises his hands in defeat after seeing my I'm-not-falling-for-your-puppy-dog-eyes look. "Okay, I admit Sarah was a mistake, especially when she wanted to tell Steve about it so she could live the rest of her life with me." I laugh at the haunted expression on his face. "But you weren't perfect either. I heard the rumours, you went down to the basement on more than one occasion to see Godric, these people hated vampires and there you were getting all friendly with one."

When he puts it like that, I hadn't acted any smarter than he had. "Okay, so we're both idiots" I admit. "And the Fellowship of the Sun was a huge mistake."

He nods, satisfied that we were both to blame. "Don't worry Alba, you can choose the next crazy-ass cult we join." We grin at each other and I shake his hand, calling it a deal. "Listen I'm going to apologise to Godric, you know, for all damage the Fellowship has done." He gets up and walks over to join the queue in front of Godric. It seems strange, this person who had been a secret of mine since I meet him is suddenly important. Down in the basement it had been as if he was an imaginary friend but now, as reality sinks in, I realise that he was always this superior vampire and I had always been entirely beneath him.

I see Sookie and Bill arguing in the corner, I can't make out their words but I can tell Sookie's grilling Bill to where his been for the past two days. I sigh and lean back on the couch, I had barely slept the past few days and with recent exciting events I was far beyond exhausted.

However, as I rest my eyes for just a moment a figure comes into view and looms threateningly over me. I look up to see the tall frame of a vampire with dark, cold eyes and a stetson on his head. Its then I realise that it was the cowboy from before, who had sneered at me and Hannah in the church.

"Aren't you part of the fellowship?" He asks in a deep growl. His lips pulled back in a sneer.

"No." Is the only answer I give and I stand up, fully intending to walk away from the creep when I'm forcefully shoved back down. The cowboy sits down next to me, so close that I can feel the one side of his body pressed against mine.

"You see, I think you are and we don't take too kindly to bible fuckers like you." My heart beat accelerates at his slow, dark tone, I try and shift off the couch but he wraps an arm around my waist, his fingers digging painfully into my side. His fangs click out and my eyes widen, I look around for Jason or Sookie but the ruthless cowboy grabs my chin and wrenches my head back to face him. The biting chill of his skin seeps into mine as he tries to catch my eye, I remember what Godric had told me about glamouring and I instantly look down, avoiding eye contact. He grunts and tightens his grip with a bruising force.

And all of a sudden he unexpectedly loosens his grip. I dare to look up and I'm completely surprised to see Tall and Blonde clutching the back of Stan's neck in a forceful grip. "You just continue to piss my maker off again and again, Stan. And by pissing him off, you piss me off."

"Go fuck yourself, Northman." So this is Tall and Blonde's name. He squeezes the cowboys, named Stan, neck until I hear a painful cracking noise. Stan winces in pain but to his credit he doesn't let out a whimper. "Next time I won't be so lenient." He utters darkly, and turns to face me. I'm unsure whether to cower away from him or thank him for saving me.

"Godric wants to talk to you." Before I can respond he grabs my arm firmly and pulls me along behind him, the grip was impossible to break out of but not painful at all. I'm dragged into the room that is separated from the other by a thick wall with a double sided fireplace in the centre. The desk, laptop and scattered books give away that this is his office, I stop inspecting the room and finally look at Godric sitting in his unusual chair.

He looks up to me with no emotion in his face. "Leave us," he commands.

For a moment I think his talking to me but before I move everyone else in the room, except for Northman, starts to exist the room quickly. When the office is still, with no one here but the three of us, he rises from his chair and takes a step towards me whilst raising his hands to gently touch my forehead, his eyes inspecting the nasty bruise on my head where Gabe had hit me. I move back quickly, remembering Northman's warning. Godric frowns and takes a step towards me but I pull back again.

"Alba, what are you doing?" I open my mouth but firmly snap in shut again. As much as I want to talk to Godric I didn't want to lose my fingers, I find I'm quite attached to them.

"Alba." Godric repeats, I look down at my feet to stare at my boots, not wanting to anger Northman by any action. Warm fingers gently grasps my chin and guides my head up. "Tell me what's wrong."

The words fall out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I'm not allowed to talk to you."

"And who ordered this?" I try to stop myself but my eyes wander over to Northman standing behind Godric, Godric follows my gaze and sighs.

"Eric, what did you do?" After a small pause Godric pushes. "Answer me my child."

"She's a tiny human talking to you as if you were her _equal_," He spits the word out as if it was poison to him. "I thought she should be put in her place." Northman growls out, the hate he seems to have for me is finally rationalized. All because I'm a lowly human.

"She has been good to me, better than most."

"She was with the fellowship." He counters vehemently.

"Eric." Godric says sharply and then softens his voice with a small grin on his face. "She thinks I'm warm." This utterly confuses me, what does his temperature have anything to do with anything?

Eric's eyes widen in disbelief and he stares at me, assessing every detail. "Are you sure? Is she lying?" I am now completely lost.

"I'm sure." He says, and Eric zooms in front of me and bends to my eye level, seemingly searching my eyes for something. He places hiss cool hands on either side of my head to keep me still and to my surprise his large hands are gentle.

"Her eyes are still the same." He says, his voice fading out in to a contemplation

"They wouldn't have changed yet. We only met a week and a half ago, and most of that I was behind bars." He smiles at me warmly and I can't help but smile back. I was about to ask what on earth they were talking about when a voice clears their voice to speak. I see a woman with many facial piercing and wearing long, high heeled boots that laced up to her thighs, by the unnatural whiteness to her skin I guessed she was a vampire.

"Sherriff, Isabel's bringing in the traitor." The vampire informs Godric, he nods and she disappears. However, people must have taken this as a cue to come strolling back in the room because suddenly it was crowded again, with people poking their noses around corner to catch a glimpse of what was about to happen.

Godric gives Eric a stern look. "We'll talk of this later Eric." Eric nods in understanding then stands to the side as Godric sits back in his chair. I stand awkwardly in the way so I walk over to Sookie's side.

I gasp when I see Hugo being dragged in, beaten and battered from Gabe's attack. His eyes flicker around nervously as I woman brings him over to Godric, kicking him down to kneel. She has the remains or bloody, red tears in dry streaks on her cheeks.

"Here is the one who betrayed us." Her Spanish accent is clear but so is the hurt in her voice.

I watch as Godric passes judgement on the traitor, what shocked me was the compassion he showed for the vampire women, being considerate of her feeling of love towards Hugo. She tries to keep composure but her face scrunches up in anguish as she admits that she still loves him.

"I do, I'm sorry." She sniffs, and she looks down to hide her face. "But you are my Sherriff", She says more strongly. "Do with him as you wish."

Godric thinks for a second, deliberating his judgment and everyone waits in anticipation to hear it. He looks directly at Stan. "You are free to go."

"What?" Stan growls out, his voice full of deep disgust.

"The human is free to go." Godric eyes everyone in the room, daring them to challenge him. "And do not return, I fear it isn't safe for you here."

"This is a travesty." Stan takes a step forward to challenge him.

"This is my verdict." Godric raises his head in a stance of command. This is enough to remind Stan who has the authority here and he begrudgedly stands down.

He orders Eric to take Hugo out whilst Isabel softly thanks him.

I feel someone grab my hand, "Come on Alba, I need you to hold me back in case I try to stake Bill." I recognise Sookie's voice and she drags me with her so she can argue with Bill.

But before she can grill him Jason steals him away. Much to Sookie's annoyance.

I slowly shuffle off as she rants and I bump into a human woman, as I apologise to her we begin to talk.

"So you would describe yourself as an avid fangbanger?" I ask her after she tells me of her humorous tales of trying to get with vampire.

"Oh, of course. The sex is amazing, all that stamina and power. I just can't seem to get enough." She's a cheerful woman to be around and her bouncy, excited voice makes her easy to talk too. I carry on asking her questions and giggle when she tells me how one vampire had asked her to wear a fat suit and chase them around. Apparently that was what got his fangs to drop in pleasure.

Whilst I'm laughing I notice a commotion out of the corner of my eye.

"Runaway, little girl." A stick thin women waved her hand at Sookie, this women screamed elegance with her pinned up curls and expensive red dress but she had a ferocious look in her eye that I didn't like as she glared at Sookie. She proclaims Bill and hers love for each other but Bill pushes her away, telling her that she had gone mad.

Sookie approaches her and with a threatening voice she say "Maybe you do love him, who am I to guess?" Bill holds a struggling Sookie back but I can see the look in the elegant vampire's eye darkening, becoming animalistic. Silently, I will Sookie to shut her mouth before she becomes this vampires dinner. I start to rush over to her as more words are spat out. "But he doesn't love you, he never has. And _that _we both know."

The vampire in red drops her fangs just as I I'm about to reach Sookie. "Take those words back." Her command is hissed through threatening fangs. "Or they shall be your last."

"We're leaving." Bill declares and begins to pull Sookie away but I knew my sister wouldn't stand down from this fight.

"Go find someone else's, you fucking bitch! You've lost this one!" She screamed at the vampire in red, anger punching the words out.

In a blur, the vampire attacks and throws Bill to one side with little effort. Just as I'm about to grab Sookie's arm so I can get her out of the way I'm pulled back by the waist. A long arm wraps around my small form and lifts me off the ground to drag me back easily until I'm a fair distance from the threatening vampire. I see Sookie be thrown onto a table and I fight against the arm but it's like has a steel band wrapped around me, I look up to see a pale face with smoothed back blonde hair and intense blue eyes staring at the events unfolding before us.

Just as the elegant vampire was about to bite my sister Godric wraps his hand around her throat and lifts her easily off Sookie.

"Retract... your fangs. Now. I neither know or care who you are. But in this area and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?" His voice is soft but with an authoritative edge.

She begrudgedly answers. "Yes sheriff."

He turns to Sookie. "This human has proven to be a courageous and loyal friend to our kind. And yet you treat her like a child does a dragonfly. Pulling off wings for sport. No wonder they hate us." And I can hear the disappointment in his voice.

"She provoked me." She counters, in defence.

_"_And you have provoked me." He says sternly. "You have disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig and I haven't. Why is that?"

_"_It's your choice." She spits out.

_"_Indeed it is. You're old vampire. I can tell. You've had hundreds of years to better yourself, yet you are still a savage. I fear for us all. Humans and vampires, if this behaviour persists." He turns to Bill and orders him to take her out and for her to leave the area before dawn.

As they leave Eric drops me to the ground and releases me, I don't spear him a glance as me and Jason crowd around Sookie asking her if she was okay and what all that was about. After she tells us, she declares that she needs a drink and marches off to find the nearest glass of campaign. I begin to talk to Jason but in midsentence he stops me and tells me his going to chat with a hot girl. I roll my eyes and stand by one of the windows, out of people's way. The garden was plain but nicely kept with simple trees and few plants scattered around.

"Excuse me everyone," a male voice begins, he sounds familiar but I can't place it. I carry on inspecting the garden, certain that whatever this man is going to say has nothing to do with me.

"If I could have your attention." Again, there's a familiar ring to the persons voice.

"My name is Luke McDonald and I'm a member of The Fellowship of the Sun." I whip my head over my shoulder to see that Luke is indeed standing in the middle of the vampires nest. "And I have a message for you all," He spits out the very last bit in anger whilst unzipping his jacket. "From reverend Steve Newlin." Silver chains and bullets cover his chest, what really scares me though is the mechanics of a bomb.

With his left hand, he presses the detonator.

Bright light explodes, the violent sound blasting in my ears. I don't have time to scream as I'm thrown forward by the force of the blast, smashing through a glass window. Pain sears through me, my left eye feels like it's being torn out, all over my body glass digs into me and severs the skin. My face, chest, legs all deeply torn and shredded. But what terrifies me the most is a sudden blinding pain in my back as a scrap of scorching metal sinks through the flesh of my back, shredding all in its path before it lodges into my spine. I'm thrown on to the grass I had been staring at just moments ago, rolling a few times before I'm lying on my back, I dare to open my one good eye and see the stars before I scream in utter agony.

**AN: Things finally get interesting. I will update soon as I have most of the next chapter already written. Also, I lied in my disclaimer, I don't own True Blood. **


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. **

_**Previously**_

_Bright light explodes, the violent sound blasting in my ears. I don't have time to scream as I'm thrown forward by the force of the blast, smashing through a glass window. Pain sears through me, my left eye feels like it's being torn out, all over my body glass digs into me and severs the skin. My face, chest, legs all deeply torn and shredded. But what terrifies me the most is a sudden blinding pain in my back as a scrap of scorching metal sinks through the flesh of my back, shredding all in its path before it lodges into my spine. I'm thrown on to the grass I had been staring at just moments ago, rolling a few times before I'm lying on my back, I dare to open my one good eye and see the stars before I scream in utter agony. _

**On with the new.**

I fade in and out of conscious, a hazy swirl of blaring agony and stars. My ears still ring from the blast, high pitched screeching deafening me. I try to move but nothing seems to work, the most I can do is twitch a finger but even that brings searing pain. A small thing petrifies me the most, not the searing agony or the fear that my life could potentially end any minute. A small, everyday thing that most people take for granted. I was terrified because I couldn't wiggle my toes and as hard as I tired I couldn't feel them.

A muffled voice indicates that I'm no longer alone, my hearing slowly comes back and a high pitched voice is screaming something. I prise open my one good eye and catch a flash of blonde, I concentrate hard and see a familiar gap in between two front teeth. Sookie. Her face is twisted in horror at my broken body, she goes to gently touch my face but I scream as pain throbs through me. My hearing finally clears as I see Jason sink to his knees beside me, his face too twisted with fear for me. To my relief, they're both okay.

"Oh God, Alba no!" Sookie wails out, it's hard to make the words out as she's sobbing so much.

"Sook" I manage to squeak out, Jason grabs my hand which, surprisingly, only has minor scratches.

"You stay with us Alba, we're gonna get you to a hospital." His voice cracks so often I could barely tell what he was saying.

"Jase" I moan, "I can't feel my legs." Panic begins to set in but as much as I try to twitch my toes or bend my knee, nothing happens. It's as if there is nothing there to control.

"Alba, your legs are fine, just scratched." Cold fear rushes through me, the metal that had hit my back, it had gone right through.

I try to respond to tell him about the metal burrowed in my back but I feel drained and heavy, as my blood pools beneath me I can feel my consciousness going with it. I feared that if I fell asleep here I wouldn't wake up again so I fought my heavy eye lid and concentrated on staying awake through the pain.

As I prise my one good eye open and notice a third figure surrounding me, the dark hair and pale complexion indicated that it was Bill.

"Sookie, I'll give her my blood, it will save her." She nods, tears and snot mingling on her face as she lets out another sob. Bill pierces the skin of his wrist and raises it to my lips. I go to put my mouth on his punctured flesh but before I can his violently thrown to the side before a single drop of his blood can touch my tongue.

Sookie and Jason are also pushed out the way as two males kneel beside me.

"Godric, she doesn't have much time left." It's Northman and I absently wonder what he was doing here.

"Check for any pieces of metal or glass in her, pull them out." I hear Godric's voice and fight a little harder to stay awake. His voice is cold, hard, controlled. Their hands work in a blur across my scratched and bloody body, I scream as they pull pieces of glass out of me, worming their fingers into my wounds to yank out the offending glass.

"Metal, back." I manage to croak out, a human would never have been able to pick up my words they were spoke so softly. Luckily they weren't human. Slowly I'm rolled onto my side as Eric looks at the damage on my back. I whimper in pain as tears fall from my eyes. The salty liquid stings my damaged eye but I grit my teeth against the hurt.

"There's a piece shrapnel lodged in her spin." Eric informs Godric clinically.

I hear a low growl and with a dark, commanding voice Godric says "On the count of three I want you to rip it out whilst I give her my blood."

"Three…" I grit my teeth together, knowing what agony was to come.

"Two…" Prayers pass through my lips, begging God to let just let me pass out instead.

"One." Oh God…

I'm blinded with pain as I feel Eric's fingers wrench out the jagged shrapnel, the metal scraping against bone in my back. My mouth opens but no sound comes out, I silently screech as my body tries to thrash in agony but I'm held down by powerful hands. A bloody wrist is shoved on my mouth and I gag on the flow of blood rushing down my throat. A large hand rubs my neck, willing Godric's blood down my throat.

"Alba, you have to drink it, it will heal you." I hear Godric's voice, urgently willing me to drink. Wanting the pain to stop I start gulping the blood, and to my relief the pain starts to recede and I manage to raise my hand to press his wrist closer to my mouth.

It feels like life itself is flooding through me, power and energy shots through my veins, knitting together any injury. With a sigh of relief I'm able to wiggle my toes, and I wiggle them like mad, not able to get enough of the sensation.

"That's enough, mon feu." He says, the French endearment soothes me and I slowly unwrap my small fingers from his wrist as he pulls back. I sit up and blink, finally able to see perfectly with both eyes, I stretch my body and apart from a small ache in my muscles I'm perfectly fine. It's astonishing that a few mouthfuls of Godric's blood had saved me from being half blind and paralysed for the rest of my life, presuming I survived the night.

I'm suddenly encased by two warm bodies, Jason and Sookie squishing me from both sides. I try and squeeze them back, saying a silent prayer of thanks. I felt more alive than I ever had before, like pure energy was pumping through my veins. Both Sookie and Jason pull back and their eyes inspect my body, checking for any unhealed damage. I twirl on the spot to let them see all of me. My twirl had a little too much force added to it and I end up tripping over my own feet, stumbling to right myself again.

"I thought you were a goner for sure." You can always trust Jason to be delicate about the situation.

"Your confidence in me is overwhelming" I reply dryly. He grins at me and ruffles my dirt ridden hair.

"I'm glad to see you're okay Alba but I think it's time we left. There are two cars left, we should go." Bill puts a hand on Sookie's back and begins to guide her towards one. She goes to grab my hand but I pull away.

"I want to stay for a moment, if it hadn't been for them I'd still be-" I shudder runs through my body. "Well, I wouldn't be standing." She nods understandingly and embraces me one last time. I can't tell if it's her body or mine trembling with the emotional exhaustion of the day.

"I don't know what I would have done if you were-" She gulps, unable to finish the eerie sentence. With a final squeeze I let her go and she drags Jason off towards one of the cars despite his protests.

When they leave I turn and stare at the destruction of the house. Black and red cover the once neutral walls. Debris is scattered on the floor, an obliterated mixture of jagged wood, blood, bone and cloth. Furniture demolished into unrecognisable scraps. Blood covers near enough everything, from violent splatters sprawled across the walls to fresh pool sinking in to the carpets. In the midst of all the chaos stands a lone vampire.

"I want to thank you" I tell Godric.

"You didn't deserve to live a crippled life because of me."

"It wasn't your fault, extremists have a habit of being… Well, extreme." I finish, lamely.

"Wasn't it?" He question, he looks around his broken home with a sad look in his eye.

"I don't believe it was." Eric comes behind us. He eyes me reproachfully before addressing Godric. They speak in a foreign language which I suspect to be Swedish, my name is mentioned a couple of times but it's hopeless to understand what they're saying.

"You both saved my life," I say out of the blue. "I owe you."

Godric shakes his head, "You don't owe us anything, mon feu."

"Look what I can do," I stand on the point of my toe, an old trick I learnt from ballet lessons when I was a kid. I twirl on the spot, raising my arms over my head in a typical ballet gesture. "If you didn't help me, I would be slumped in a hospital bed somewhere trying to get used to being half blind and paralysed from the waist down." I twirl again. "I owe you greatly." He smiles at me and places his hands on my shoulders.

He gives me a dark grin. "Fine, you owe me and one day soon, I will come to collect." Eric raises an eyebrow at his maker but says nothing.

I bite my lip, confessing "I don't have much money. "

"It isn't your money that I'm interested in" I blush and look down, my boots suddenly become interesting and this is the first glimpse I get of my post-broken body. My clothes, once clean and light, are now smothered in black scorch marks, dirt and, most of all, my blood. My stomach goes queasy at the thought.

"Oh God…" I squeeze my eyes shut, horrified at what had happened to me. My body had been mutilated. I push past the thought and carry on inspecting my clothes, the shreds of material barely hold together and I'm embarrassed that part of my bra was on show.

Godric spies my dismayed expression looks down with guilt.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." He turns to me and places his hands on my cheeks, leaning forwards to rest his forehead on mine. "When I first saw you I believed you were dead, that fiery heart of yours as still as mine." I squeeze my eyes shut and my heart lurches, I'm unsure whether it's due to the closeness of Godric or the fear of the explosion that had seriously harmed me. He lightly brushes his lips across my forehead and moves back.

I perch myself on the end of an over turned table, blackened with burn marks. I can feel fatigue beginning to set in. Godric turns to Eric, placing a hand on his child's cheek and telling him that he is glad he was unharmed. I turn away, the gesture seemed intermit and personal and I could see the love in both of their eyes for one another.

The energy and life that flowed through me just moments before suddenly vanished. At first Godric's blood had energised me but it was like caffeine and the buzz had soon wore off, leaving me hunched over, barely able to keep my body up right.

"Come, you are tired and we need to leave this place." I nod wearily and rise to my feet. A warm arm wraps tightly around my waist, and a long, cooler arm drapes across my shoulders. I leave the obliterated home pressed between the two bodies and, despite the deadly attack, I felt safe.

**AN: So good? Bad? Let me know what you think. **


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. **

**AN: And this is it, you finally get to find out if Godric finds his dead life worth living or still desires to burn. **

_**Previously**_

_"Come, you are tired and we need to leave this place." I nod wearily and rise to my feet. A warm arm wraps tightly around my waist, and a long, cooler arm drapes across my shoulders. I leave the obliterated home pressed between the two bodies and, despite the deadly attack, I felt safe._

**On with the new.**

I lie awake in the luxurious hotel bed, sweat clings my night shirt to my body as I toss and turn in hopes of forgetting my most recent dream. I had long ago kicked off the thick sheets and I just lay there, staring up into to the darkness trying to fall back to sleep. My eyes flutter shut for the third time this morning, I can feel my heart rate softening as my breathing evens out. The familiar darkness of sleep pulls me under and I'm grateful that my exhausted body can finally rest.

Bright light erupts beneath my closed lids and the smell of scorched flesh fills my nostrils. I open my eyes to see Godric's home burst into the chaos of an explosion. I see Sookie stand amongst the crowds of victims, scorching scraps of jagged metal rapidly pierce her flesh. I scream in horror and run forwards, calling out her name. I see her face, arms and chest become mutilated, her blood spilling out from numerous wounds. I try to reach her but hands hold me back, thick, greasy hands. I try and pry them off me but more hands help to drag my body backwards. I scream for Sookie as her lifeless body falls to the floor. I sob uncontrollably, tears fall freely from my eyes as I try and fight the restricting hands.

"The vampire fucker deserved it." I hear the nasty words and my heart clenches in fear, it's a voice I didn't want to hear ever again. I turn to look at who the hands belong to and come face to face with the sneering faces of Anna-Amelia and Gabe. I'm frozen with fear as they begin to mock and taunt me.

A whiney voice joins the taunting, Anna-Amelia and Gabe step back and I see Steve Newlin march onto scene. He wears his clinically white suit which screams arrogance. He holds someone behind his back but I can't see who it is, he grins at me "You will pay for betraying your race." He then pulls out a terrified Hannah from behind him, she's shaking so much that she can barely stand on her own. Steve, Gabe and Anna-Amelia suddenly disappear, leaving just me and Hannah in the room, I rush towards her but she tells me to run.

"Please, Alba just go. Run while you still can." Tears run down her cheeks and her face is scrunched with anguish. "Just leave me!" She roars, her voice cracking from emotion.

I'm confused why she's acting this way and try to grab her to pull her towards me but she pulls back. Slowly she raises her hands and with shaking fingers she fumbles with the zip on her jacket, slowly pulling it down to reveal the mechanics of a bomb chained to her chest.

"Run." Is the last thing I hear before the timer reaches zero and the explosion booms in my ears.

I scream and wrench upright in my bed, my body stiff with fear. When I realise it was just another horribly vivid dream I curl up into a ball, holding myself together. I try to hold back the tears but I'm terrified of the dream, the agony of the blast replaying in my mind over and over, the image scarred onto my mind.

"Alba?" I hear Jason groggily ask from the door frame, I peek up to see him rubbing his half-closed eyes. He sees me and his eyes widen.

"Jesus Alba! What happened?" His voice is full of concerns as he runs over to me and holds my shoulders. I explain the dream to him and surprisingly, he understands, he soothes me until I calm down then asks if I want him to stay with me. I really didn't want to be alone but I could see the tiredness in his eyes and knew he didn't need me waking him up every 5 minutes because of my silly nightmares.

Towards mid-afternoon me, Jason and Sookie were in a small café for lunch. The city of Dallas was completely different to our small town so we had gone to explore, I slumped around the city after the two of them, having had no sleep since being knocked out by Gabe a couple of days ago in the church was really starting to take its toll on me. But surprisingly enough no matter how awful I felt on the inside I looked better than I ever had before on the outside. My hair was a slightly brighter shade of auburn, looking thicker. My skin was clearer than it had ever been before my body looked considerably more toned. As we sat down to lunch I slumped my head on my hands, feeling tired to my very core. Someone asks me a question but I miss it. I raise my head.

"What?" I ask.

"Jason tells me you've been having dreams," she leans in close, lowering her voice, "they're not some steamy dreams of Godric are they?" I give her a confused look, and blood runs to my cheeks in a blush as one of my dreams had partly been like that. I had lain with Godric under the stars, we were completely bare as his hands skimmed my skin. I remember the electric jolt I felt in my dream when his fingers grazed across my nipple and the desire for him to touch more of me. Before he could though the grassy hill we were on began to burn, I had tried to make him run away with me but he just kept saying "I want to burn" over and over until I could vividly feel the flames licking the bare flesh of my legs.

"Why on earth would you ask that, Sook?" My voice is an octave too high.

"It's perfectly fine and natural, it's a result of the vampire blood you took. The older the vampire blood the more potent it is and well, honey you swallowed a lot of a two thousand year old vampires blood. The effects are going to be strong"

"What effects?"

She lists them off with her fingers, "Stronger, faster, more active libido, better looking and sexual dreams about the vampire who's blood you ingested." I gawp at her, not expecting such dramatic side effects. "Also, Godric will now always know how you're feeling and where you are. A small price to pay for saving your life, if you ask me."

The thought of my emotions constantly burdening Godric worries me, I ask if its permanent but she shakes her head.

"No, it will only last a few months. Maybe more." She takes a sip of her coffee and eyes me speculatively. "Your left eye."

"Sorry?" I ask confused.

She leans in close to inspect my left eye, "It has a swirl of blue in that wasn't there before." She shrugs, "It's probably an effect of the vampire blood." She dismisses.

I shrug back but her words unsettles me more then I let on, I remember what Godric and Eric had said before the explosion last night

"_Her eyes are still the same."_

"_They wouldn't have changed yet."_

Was this what they were talking about? My eye colour changing? The thought weighs heavily on my mind through the rest of lunch but I hide my brooding and joke with Jason about the ridiculousness of the Fellowship of the Sun. As it becomes dark we walk back into the hotel, human staff run back and forth in a flurry of activity, preparing for the vampires to arise. I accidently bump shoulders with a woman dressed in skimpy clothing, her bony frame tattooed with cheap stars and vulgar sex poses. She sneers at me, and I see the marks of vampire bites covering her neck. I hurry on, avoiding her gaze.

Sookie wanders off to find her beloved Bill, muttering how he'll be mad when he finds out she left the hotel. Me and Jason roll our eyes and he suggests to go to the bar.

"You do know I'm under age don't you?" I question him.

"I figured since you had survived a bomb attack then you deserve a proper drink."

Even though it was a nice idea I was exhausted, "Jase, I would love to but I'm going to try and see if I can sleep without nightmares. I feel dead on my feet." I smile weakly at my small joke. He nods sympathetically and goes in to the bar.

I make my way back to our adjoining rooms. My mind wanders as I walk, I had called Brendon earlier and he talked my ear off for an hour about the tremendous amount of math homework Mr Wallace had set. It was nice to talk about the normalcy of school and just forget about the intense turn of events.

He had asked me if I was okay and all I could stutter out was that I was fine. He knew I was upset about something and we resolved to talk about it when I come back to Bon Temps tomorrow. He was ecstatic to hear I was coming back and invited himself to stay at my house the night when I returned. My mind carries on drifting as I twist and turn down the corridors of the hotel. When I come close to the door I swear. Jason has the key card. I let out a few more choice words and navigate myself back to the bar. Unfortunately, I end up walking into the wrong bar, this one was exclusively for vampire. I stare around the room and watch ravenous vampires have their dinner, or is it breakfast for them?

Humans who are being fed on have dreamy looks in their eyes, one male close to me sighs in ecstasy as his being fed on and I can clearly see his prominent erection. Embarrassed to be here I turn around and I'm about to walk out when I see a familiar figure sitting peacefully in the corner.

Godric sits on a sleek white couch in the corner of the room, he seemingly ignores everyone but a stick of a woman seats herself next to him and begins to attempt conversation. I realise it was the nasty woman who had bumped my shoulder, she sits close to Godric and he doesn't react. I feel a small pang of jealousy as this woman runs her hand over his shoulder, whispering seductive words in his ear. I didn't want to watch the sickly women persuade Godric to feed from her so I turn to run out and walk smack straight into a cold, hard chest.

"This is becoming a habit of yours." A deep, sly voice taunts. I look up to see piercing blue eyes and sleek blond hair.

"Northman, I swear you follow me about just so I bump into you." I bite back, I was tired and irritated, all I wanted was to find Jason and curl up in bed for another round of fighting with nightmares.

I try to worm my way round him but spins me around and places a large hand on the small of my back, guiding me further into the room full of vampires and their dinner. He steers us towards Godric despite my protests, the women who was still fawning over Godric looks up to notice us approaching. Or should I say, looks up to notice tall, blonde and muscles walking her way.

"Looking for a treat?" She purrs, leaning back in a provocative pose, showing her assets. I cringe at the obvious gesture and try to leave, still hoping to get to bed. However, Eric just moves his hand from the small of my back to wrap his arm around my waist, trapping me against him.

"Leave us, and do not think of returning" Godric tells the women, she looks surprised to be rejected. Her smarmy gaze lands on me and she sneers.

"I could show you a better time than this prude ever could." She turns the charm on again. "Let me show you."

"Leave." This one word holds so much power and command that vampires closest to us turn their heads. The sickly woman gives me one last glare before scuttling off.

Eric grins at Godric before pushing me forward to sit on the couch next to Godric. I feel my muscles relax next to him and for a couple of seconds I allow myself to feel peaceful. I feel the couch dip next to me as Eric places himself on the other side of me, my shoulders brushing both of theirs.

"I found her wandering about." Eric says.

"I was looking for Jason, I needed to get the key card."

"You look tired, Alba." Godric says gently, the softness surprises me after his voice had held so much power just moments before.

"I'm fine," I lie.

He gives me a your-not-falling-anybody look and I cast my eyes down. "I can't sleep. I tried but, God, the dreams of the Fellowship and the blast. They're so vivid I just want them to stop." I finally admit, I hadn't told Sookie or Brendon about the awful dreams and here I am spilling my secret to the ancient vampires.

"The dreams will pass," he says.

Speaking of dreams, it reminded me of what Sookie had said. "My eyes, Sookie said my left eye was changing, becoming blue. Is that because your bloods ancient?" Godric and Eric share a look.

Godric places his hands on the sides of my head and brings me close to him, his thumbs absently rub my temples as he inspects my eyes. I look back at him, his eyes intensely search mine and its then I notice the change in his. I couldn't be completely sure, I had only known him a week, it may have always been like this. In the corner of his right eye is a small flash of green. Small and easily missed but the colour remarkably resembles my own.

He grins at me and release my head, he begins to speak in Swedish to Eric and absently places his hand on my knee. His fingers draw meaningless patterns on my skin and the action soothes me. Having nothing else to do I place my head back onto the couch letting my eyes flicker shut for just a second.

The next thing I know my cheek is pressed against something warm, I turn my face into the warm object and sigh, not wanting to get up. Its only when the warm object shifts that I realise I'm not in a bed at all. I snap my eyes open and notice I'm lying vertically on the couch. Embarrassingly, I realise that my head had been resting on Godric's lap, my legs stretched out, over the long legs of Northman. They are both still speaking in Swedish and neither noticed that I'm awake. Godric has a piece of my long hair loosely wrapped around his fingers as he speaks in his hushed tone to Eric. I can feel Northman's hand wrapped around my small ankle, his fingers stroking the bare skin. A women walks up to us, her blond hair is slicked back and she wears business clothing. She seems vaguely familiar but I couldn't put a name to her face.

"We're holding a meeting in 10 minutes to discuss your position, Sherriff. Don't be late." And with this snapping remark she marches off the way she came. Her attitude is positively charming.

"Nan Flanagan, what a bitch."Utters Eric, under his breath.I recorgnise the name and im shocked that the TV face of vampires, one who is supposidly compasionate, was so cold and rude_. _

I feel a hand shake my shoulder and I turn to look up.

"It seems we must part." Godric says, a slight hint of regret colours his voice.

I rise off the vampires, my hair falling from his fingers and Eric releases my ankel. I find my balence and stand before Godric. I'll walk you back to your room, I nod and we start heading off, Eric heading in the other direction. We collect the key card from a slightly drunk Jason and he walks me to my door in silence. He seems to be in a contemplative mood, his eyes searching for some invsable answer scrawled on the carpet below our feet. I turn to say goodbye when we reach my door but im took completely off gaurd by being incased in powerfall arms. Godric burries his head in my neck, his nose skiming my throat. He inhales deeply, as if savouring the scent, then moves his head and stands straight tucking my head protectively under his chin.

"Godric. Whats wrong?" I ask, confused at his sudden behaviour.

"Goodbye, mon feu" He whispers. Panic surgies through me, why was this goodbye seeming perminant, would we see each other again?

It occurs to me that we leave for Bon Temps in the morning and I realise that infact it was me who was leaving him. Just imaginging it seemed harder then it should. "I guess this is goodbye, I leave in the morning." I squeeze him with all my strength, this person I had been through so much with. He had saved my life countless times, I owe this man everything.

"Be kind to youself." I tell him, emotion leaking through my voice. With one fianl squeeze and a lingering look at each other we let go, his arms riggid and reluctent.

I watch him walk away, then turn to open the door. Missing my friend already.

I head straight to bed, trying to get some more sleep before the flight in the morning.

At roughfly 5 in the morning I wake to the sound of banging on my door, and a shrill voice shouting.

"Alba, please you have to stop him." I throw mysself out of bed and open the door to see Sookie worked up. She was huffing from exsertion, panting as she tried to get her words out.

"You can stop him, Eric told me who you are." I was utterly confused.

"Who?" I ask.

"For Godsakes Alba! Godric's going to meet the sun." These words turn me cold and my mind instantly thinks back to his goodbye, why hadn't I seen this coming?

"Eric told me that if you tell Godric you'll be his, he'll change his mind." Her eyes look imploringly into mine but then she speaks softly. "You're my sister, Alba, I wont force you to be his. This is your choice, you can walk away right now, i'll tell Eric I never found you. No one would blame you. If you do save him you have to realise that life just wont be the same, youll be thrust into the violent world of vampires. A burden you would have to bear but the only other option is to let him kill himself. Could you stand by and watch him burn?"

My mind races, thoughts blasting through my head. Scattered memoreies of personal anicdotes about vampire horror stories from the fellowship flicker in my mind. Vampires arguing thier rights on TV. Godric in the basement, being kind. Anna-Amelias hatred. What was the right decision? The decision felt heavy on my shoulders, my eyes are wide as I search for an answer, more memoreis flash through my mind. Godric throwing Gabe off me, twice. Feeding me his blood so I could walk again. Soothing my headache by rubbing my tempels. I absently hear my phone go off and I glance over, the caller ID says its Hannah so I ignore it, i'll call her later.

Of course i'll save him. The thought blares bright in my mind, any excuse that my brain could articulate dimmered in comparison. I nod determindly at Sookie and she tells me to run to the roof. I run past her and head for the stiars to reach the roof. As I jog down the corridor I notice that I'm barefoot and in a borrowed summer dress from Sookie, I must look crazy to anyone who sees me but I dont care, I have to reach the roof before the sun does. I reach the stairs in record time and begin to climb them when a man in the hotel uniform shouts for me. "Excuse me, Miss!"

I ignore him and carry on running up, eyes on my goal.

"Miss!" The hotel man shouts again, I ignore his irritating calls and carry on. I yelp when I feel him run up behind me and yank me backwards, we tumble down the stairs, my breath getting knocked out of me. I try to scrable up but he holds me down.

"What are you doing?!" I scream at him, fustrated that his holding me back. I try to get up again but he tackels me to the ground, I throw a couple of punches and kicks but he doges them easily. He stadels my waist, rendering my legs useless. The bulk of the man holds down my wrist with one hand. I scream but he rams his free hand over of my mouth, cutting the sound off. Its then I notice a differnt man run up to us, I start to struggle at seeing what his holding. A syringe filled with colourless liquid is held in his hand. I try with all my might to get out of the other mans grip but his too strong, tears leak down my face as the man comes closer, inserting the syringe in my neck and pressing the plunger. I try to keep a hold on myself but its useless, my conciousness slips away with all my energy. The bulky man gets off me, looking around to see if anyone had seen. The man drops the syringe on the floor and grabs me around the waist, hauling me over his shoulder.

"We need to leave, now." Says the man who had tackeled me. As they run off with me my mind carries on ticking, one thought scarred onto my mind. The sun must be up. I didn't make it.

**AN: Longest chapter I have ever written, let me know what you think. **


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**

_**Previously**_

_I try with all my might to get out of the other mans grip but his too strong, tears leak down my face as the man comes closer, inserting the syringe in my neck and pressing the plunger. I try to keep a hold on myself but its useless, my conciousness slips away with all my energy. The bulky man gets off me, looking around to see if anyone had seen. The man drops the syringe on the floor and grabs me around the waist, hauling me over his shoulder._

"_We need to leave, now." Says the man who had tackeled me. As they run off with me my mind carries on ticking, one thought __scarred__ onto my mind. The sun must be up. I didn't make it. _

**On with the new.**

My mind is hazy, a thick fog clouds my every thought. I know there's something I should be worried about but I can't bring myself to concentrate long enough to figure out what. I drift in and out of consciousness, the worlds a spinning blur to me and I feel safer with the steady darkness behind my eyelids. I get glimpses of what's happening to me, dragged out the back door of the hotel, being thrown about in the back of a van and terrifyingly, the smallest glimpse of sunlight. But why is this trivial thing terrifying to me? I black out before the answer comes to me.

The chill of a dusty floor beneath my cheek seeps into my skin, I prise my eyes open to peer at my surroundings. I see the familiar wire cage and old boxes I had hid behind several times. I'm in the Fellowship of the Suns basement. Before I can panic the promising warmth of sleep pulls me under again and I surrender myself to the familiar darkness.

I jolt awake as icy water is poured over me, soaking me to the bone and making me gasp. I raise my head as droplets run down my face, dripping from my chin to the concrete floor.

"Welcome back, Miss Stackhouse." The horribly familiar voice sends a shiver through me, Steve Newlin had plagued my recent nightmares and his cruelty in them is still fresh in my mind. I glance around the room but it's small and empty, completely unfamiliar to me.

"I don't usually negotiate with evil whores of Satan," he continues. "But I need something from you." He says this with an evil glint in his eye and a smile that told me he would try anything to get what he wanted. Panicking, I try to move but I'm bound by chains to a wooden chair, the cold metal bites against the flesh of my wrists and ankles. I glare at him, not saying a word.

He sighs as if I was nothing more than a difficult child. "You see Albert," he begins, calling me by my annoying full name. "The stunt your vampires pulled has created somewhat of an embarrassment for me. I need to regain the confidence of my troops by taking them vampires down."

His tone darkens. "I want that tattooed child and tall fucker," He barks his words out faster and faster, making them lose clarity. "They are the reason my troops are deserting me, even that worthless Luke McDonnell proved to be useless in the end. I want them to pay for the humiliation they have caused me, 'my faith in human kind is stronger than yours'." He spits on the ground, "that is blasphemy and I will not tolerate such laughable words."

I stay silent, completely shocked at the anger of his words. He was usually so controlled, calculating all the details but now he's become desperate with revenge. The dismissal of Luke's misguided sacrifice makes my blood boil, he had died for this man's cause and yet all he can do is whine.

With energy fuelled by my anger, I try to yank myself out of the chains but they're too tight and I feel blood drip down my thumb as I become frantic with the need to escape.

"I know you've spent time with them, I have spies and one saw the dead boy give you his blood. Quite exceptional coming from such an old vampire." He ignores my attempts to free myself and carries on. "I'm not surprised though, just look at your eyes. It's obvious, surely you didn't think I wouldn't notice?" I stop struggling and stare at him completely confused. Here it is again, the mention of my eyes. It has to mean something but I'm clueless to what.

"Here's the deal, Albert. You are going to tell me your vampire's weaknesses." He sounded so sure I would tell him, confident that I would magically give him all the answers he needed. "You are going to tell me," he repeats, "or I'll burn your brother and sister in their place."

I feel the colour drain from my face. The bastard is dangling all the people I care about over my head and expects me to choose who to save. My mind thinks furiously for a solution, the obvious answer is to save my family, that's what anyone would do in this situation. But the wrenching feeling in my gut told me that I couldn't so easily hand Godric over. If I'm honest, I wouldn't be all that choked up about handing Eric over but the guilt would still eat away at me.

"So what will it be? Your family or the parasites?" A malicious grin twists his face.

"I choose neither, I won't be manipulated to dance like one of your many puppets." I spit at him, disgusted.

"Tell me! How do I trap them? What will lure them in? What will make their dead veins boil with angered blood? What will mentally fuck them up? I want. No, I need to show the world what savage monsters they are!" His words trip over one another, I see a madness imbedded deeply within his wild eyes. Fear cuts through me. How far will he go to get the information? In all honesty, I don't know much about Godric and even less about Eric. How on earth could I know all this?

He narrows his eyes at my silence, "Do not try and protect the heathens, they are an abomination and in God's name, I will vanquish them from his green earth." And with this he moves away, opening the door and slamming it after him.

I strain my ears to listen for words. "Herb, unchain her and take her back to the basement." After Steve's command the door is opened to reveal a large figure lingering in the doorway, he trudges into the room and I recognise his dark, beady eyes and unshaven chin. He's the man who grabbed me at the hotel. He stands in front of me, his bulbous body stinking of stale sweat. Whilst raising his eyebrows he leers at me suggestively and I cast my gaze downwards

He begin to roughly remove the chain, I wince in pain but concentrate on the right time to act. If I could take him by surprise then maybe I have a chance of escaping. I won't just sit around and idly wait to be rescued.

I am not a damsel in distress, God dammit.

I wait patiently as he unchains me, careful not to act too soon. My heart thumps nervously and my palms begin to sweat. His finishes unchaining me and I'm free. I slightly pray to God for this to work and spring to action.

Before he can grab me I swiftly slap him hard across his face. My palm stings and he freezes in shock. Not wasting another moment I raise my foot and kick him square in the chest, the force of the kick knocks him on his back as he splutters for air. I'm surprised by my own strength but Sookie had told me that this was an effect of Godric's blood. Without hesitating I jump over him and rush out of the door, passing a furious Steve Newlin. I hear both Herb and Steve's footsteps chase me, getting closer and closer. My legs ache with the sudden effort but I don't slow down, twisting and turning down the familiar corridors of the church to the closest exit.

A women walks around the corner and I'm too close to dodge her so we collide, I land hard on the floor, the women screams in surprise but I ignore her and scramble up, pumping my legs fast to reach the exit door that's now insight.

"Stop her!" Shouts Steve, but it's too late. I'm already out of the door and in the parking lot, the late afternoon sun slightly withering as it turns to dusk. My bare feet slap against the concrete as I run for the tree line. If I could just get back to the hotel somehow, then I could warn Godric and beg him to help me get my sister and brother out of the church.

I stop in my tracks, my body freezing in realisation.

The roof, I never made it, he wouldn't have known. A sob escapes my throat and tears flood my eyes making my vision blurred. There is no Godric, he gave himself to the sun and burnt. My hand covers my mouth in horror at the thought. He had always saved me, helped me when I needed it and when the time came to repay the favour I let him down. Guilt begins to gnaw at my insides, I could have saved him.

I'm suddenly tackled to the ground, Herbs heavy body smoothers mine and presses my back painfully into the hard concrete. I try to fight him off but he pins my arms, rendering me completely vulnerable to him. I scream but it's no use, no one is around to hear me. Steve Newlin stands behind Herbs shoulder, panting from the run.

"You really shouldn't have ran, Miss Stackhouse. That will cost you." He says wickedly and I'm terrified, franticly fighting to escape despite how useless it is. Steve calls for someone on a walkie-talkie and soon another man runs up behind Steve, I recognise him. He was the other man who helped kidnap me. "Mark, make sure she doesn't run away again." His words are cold as he looks me dead in the eye. My eyes widen in fear as Mark approaches my feet. I can't see over Herbs bulky body but I feel Mark grab my ankle in a strong grip. Pain flares through me as he cuts deep into the bottom of my foot, a blade severing my flesh. I scream in agony but Herb plasters a hand against my mouth, his palm tasting of metal and sweat.

"As much as I like to hear you scream, darling. Shut the fuck up." He orders gruffly. Tears of pain streak down my cheeks as I feel Mark pierce the soles of my feet repeatedly. Blood trickling down them and drips to the ground, after what feels like an eternity he stops.

"Finished Boss. She won't be running away anytime soon." And with Steve's approval I'm thrown over Herbs shoulder and taken back to the basement. He grabs a fistful of my arse on the way whilst making lewd comments. He almost makes me miss Gabe. _Almost_.

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews and followers! Due to me gaining so many I will update very soon. Let me know what you think.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**

_**Previously**_

"_As much as I like to hear you scream, darling. Shut the fuck up." He orders gruffly. Tears of pain streak down my cheeks as I feel Mark pierce the soles of my feet repeatedly. Blood trickles down my feet and drips to the ground, after what feels like an eternity he stops. _

"_Finished Boss. She won't be running away anytime soon." And with Steve's approval I'm thrown over Herbs shoulder and taken back to the basement. He grabs a fistful of my arse on the way whilst making lewd comments. He almost makes me miss Gabe. Almost._

**On with the new.**

I'm thrown into the cell at the bottom of basement and Herb quickly locks the door after dumping my body.

"Alba!" I hear, and I see Sookie and Jason are also in the cell. I quickly tuck my feet underneath me, despite the pain, and hide the damage Mark had inflicted. I don't want them to worry.

"Please tell me you're okay?" I ask them, they both confirm that they are and I release a sigh of relief.

"Our heads are a little funny from the drug but otherwise unharmed. They grabbed us from the hotel and injected us with something nasty." Sookie says as she rubs her neck, a worried frown pulls on her lips.

"What about you?" She kneels down in front of me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I lie with a weak smile, she gives me a disbelieving look but I quickly change the conversation. "What do you think Gran would have done, if she knew a church kidnapped us?"

Jason responds almost immediately. "If Gran were here she would have beaten them all with a frying pan for kidnapping us, and then given them a lecture on being a proper Christian." He says this with a small smile of fondness gracing his face, reminiscing Grans fierce protective nature for her family and her uncanny ability to wield a frying pan like it was a proper weapon. Sookie smiles too.

"We can't just sit around on our thumbs while they plan our demise. We need a plan." I say.

Jason has a contemplative look on his face but I'm not holding my breath for him to come up with a brilliant, fool proof plan. I look to Sookie.

"Bill would have felt my fear, he'll come for us. I'm sure he will." I roll my eyes, her plan was to sit around and wait for a handsome, powerful man to ride to our rescue. Jason will be thrilled.

"No offence Sookie, but Bill wasn't all that reliable last time." She gives me a small glare and pinches me. I frown and pinch her back but just as she's about to childishly slap me in the arm Jason clicks his fingers, a metaphorical light bulb glowing above his head.

"They want something from us," he begins. If they didn't they would have killed us already, so they need to keep us alive. What we're going to do is pretend to get in a big argument and then start physically fighting. If the guards realise they'll have to open the door to pry us off one another. When they open the door we'll surprise them by attacking them, knock them out then get the Hell out of here." Me and Sookie stare in shock, Jason had come up with a plausible plan.

"I guess it could work," Sookie mutters, I nod in agreement. So this is what we did.

Half an hour later we were screaming abuse at each other, calling each other every offensive name we could come up with. I accused Jason of being a man whore with no brains. Jason accuses Sookie of being a controlling bitch. Sookie calls me a selfish whore who'll spread her legs for anything with a pulse.

They both start physically fighting while I stay on the side-lines, holding on to the wire of the cage to keep me up. My feet stung like mad and my legs shook with pain.

Jason tackles Sookie to the floor, his finger wrap around her neck but I can see he isn't squeezing tightly, not enough to harm her. I start playing my part and scream for help at the top of my lungs. Sookie makes fake choking sounds as Jason shouts abuse. All together we were pretty convincing and it isn't long until Mark comes storming in.

"What the fuck is going on?" He shouts, a bottle of beer smashing to the floor as he sees Jason 'strangling' Sookie.

"Please, stop him." I beg, I felt sick to my stomach, begging the man who had slashed my feet but it had to be done. Fake tears stream down my face as a sharp wail runs from my throat.

Mark grunts then eyes Jason and Sookie, times running out and I prayed he would act before he realised this was a ruse. Luck was on our side as he grumbles to himself and unlocks the change, stepping towards Jason to pry him off Sookie.

One step inside, just a little further, I thought. Second step and he reaches forward towards the scuffle, Jason takes this as his cue and swings round, punching Mark straight in the jaw. He grunts but this doesn't knock him down.

"Alba!" Jason shouts and I throw him the metal bar we had found to use for a weapon. Jason grabs the bar and swings it at Mark, he quickly dodges the swing and kicks Jason in the side. He lets out a grunt of pain and brings the metal bar down on the back of Marks head. He goes still for a moment then collapse to the ground in a heap, looking as vulnerable as a baby.

Jason breathes heavily, Marks crumpled form curled up at his feet. We all watched in silence for a moment to see if he was faking but after a couple of very still minutes it seemed we were safe.

"Right, we need to get out of here and find a car. Come on." He grabs mine and Sookie's hand and pulls us out of the cage. Tears well up in my eyes from the pain shooting through my feet, my legs almost give out from underneath me. Luckily, neither of them notices.

A loud bang of a door opening comes from the top of the stairs and we all hold our breath, waiting to see who comes down the stairs. Jason raises his bar but Sookie shakes her head.

"It's a vampire. I can feel the void of their mind." Sookie whispers, using her telepathy.

A familiar form blurs through the door and stands before us, our gallant rescuer stands tall. He races across the room to place his hands on Sookie's waist, eyeing her lustfully.

"Bill! I knew you would come." Says Sookie excitedly.

"Sookie, I came as soon as the sun set, I was so afraid you had been hurt." He takes her into his arms and she holds onto him tightly.

"Oh Bill," sighs Sookie.

"We really need to go, now." I say, reminding them that we weren't out of the woods yet.

Bill turns to me with a serious look in his eye. "I wish to get Sookie out safely, once I do I'll come back for you."

"What? Bill, no!" I think for a moment and although I didn't want to stay here it would mean Sookie would be safe and out of harms way. I nod at him and so does Jason.

"Go." I say.

"I won't leave them here." Despite her protests Bill picks Sookie up, she squirms in his grip, fighting his superior strength to get to us. Before he can flash away with her I wrap my hand around hers, my shaking fingers trying to firmly reassure her. She squeezes it tightly and I a flash her flash grin.

"I'll see you real soon, okay?" I manage to whisper out, I kiss the back of her hand and before she can protest I let her let go. I hear one last shout of "no" from her which eerily fades away as Bill whisks her out of the church. I turn to Jason and his face is grim, he doesn't expect Bill to come back for us either. I wrap my arm around his, and he looks at me, determination building in his blue eyes.

"We will get out of here Alba. I promise you." And with this he leads the way, walking quickly up the stairs with me in tow. "Come on, we have to go faster." He tells me, pulling me to keep up with him. I wouldn't last much longer, my feet felt like I was walking on razor blades, each step slippery with blood. An idea springs to mind, it's a wicked misleading idea but it'll mean Jason can get out safe. With the pace I'm going we'd be caught for sure, carrying me would slow him down even more.

"Jason, I'm going to find Hannah. I can't leave her here, I need to convince her to leave. You run out and find a car, start it and park outside the church. For whatever reason I don't make it to you in half an hour go without me." I try to sound firm but my voice is pleading.

"Alba I can't leave you on your own."

"You can and you will, I'm much fiercer then I look and we're running out of time, you need to run and so do I." This comes out stronger, no trace of fear in my voice. He eyes me questioningly but says nothing and nods.

Roughly grabbing me, he pulls me into a bone crunching. "I'm waiting an hour for you and if you're not out to me by then, I'm coming in to find you."

"I'll see you soon," I tell him whilst he releases me from his grip. He glances at me once more before jogging off down the corridor, leaving me alone in the bright white hall. I look around and see no one, keeping my ears strained for any sounds I hobble slowly down the corridor, holding on to the wall for support. Pain throbs through me but fear keeps me going, I need to get out to Jason. He has to be outside by now, hopefully he'll find a car and will be safely outside the church soon.

Footsteps echo through the corridor and my heart clenches, not just a single pair. Voices can also be heard, girls voices. As they approach I frantically search for a place to hide but there's nothing close. Oh God, I'm going to be found. The people are just around the corner, a couple more steps and they will see me. I squeeze my eyes shut, terrified to be caught.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" My eyes open wide to see the chubby face of Anna-Ameilia, she looks at me disgustedly as if I was a bug that should be squashed by her shoe. Beside her is Rita, her large brown eyes looking panicked upon seeing me.

"Please, you have to help me get out of here." I say to them, my breath coming in quick gasps. At my words the brave and mighty Rita turns on her heel and runs off back down the corridor making terrified noises. Was I really that scary?

Anna-Amelia doesn't run in a terrified squeal, in fact she edges closer to me. "The reverend told me you were a fang banger, and that you were the reason the fanger escaped. It's a shame, I was really looking forward to roasting my marshmallows on his burning body." Her voice is a nasty sneer.

"It's not like that, I just want to go home. Is that so wrong?" I ask her.

"This place is falling apart, people are deserting the church since the lock in fuck up. Even Hannah left this morning." I can't help but feel a little relieved that the church is losing its power and I'm even gladder that Hannah had left.

Anna-Amelia takes a large step towards me and I take a step backwards. "Feet a little sore, Albert?" She taunts whilst gesturing to the bloody foot prints on the floor. Whilst I quickly glance at the sticky, red foot prints I had left behind she lunges for me, throwing her fist into my stomach. My breath leaves me and I struggle for air, I lean forward clutching my stomach and Anna-Amelia takes this as her chance to tangle her meaty fingers in my hair. I scream as she yanks on the roots, pulling me behind her. As much as I try, I can't escape her and it takes all of my effort not to fall down. She drags me down to the end of the corridor and into the main church where Steve Newlin is talking to Herb, his wife tapping her foot in the corner, taking an annoyed stance.

"And look what I found trying to escape." Anna-Amelia proclaims to the room and everyone turns to look at us. I try to stand tall in an effort to look less intimidated but Anna-Amelia's grip on my hair keeps me hunched over.

"Steve, what's going on? What are you doing with the Stackhouse girl?" The reverends wife's shrill voice demands.

"Sookie and Jason got away, now who are you going to dangle over my head?" I ask Steve.

He approaches us, coming face to face with and looking me dead in the face. "Your eye, Albert. He will come for you because you and him are swapping eye colours."

"What does that even mean!?" I shout at him frustrated.

"Hasn't he told you? It means that you are his and he will surely come to collect. When he does, we _will_ be ready." He grins at me, his once camera perfect smile twisted with delight at the thought of gaining his revenge. "I'm dangling no one over your head, my dear Albert. But your life will dangle on a thread above his." I feel a terror pierce through me, my painful feet forgotten as panic sets in. Steve raises his hand behind him and Herb approaches, a leering grin plastered on his face as he reaches into his polyester coat pocket to retrieve a gun. My heart accelerates, and I try to pull away from Anna-Amelia's grips but she just laughs mockingly, yanking on my hair until strands are ripped from my scalp. I'm forced to watch as Herb presses the gun into Steve's hand who brings it around to face me.

"I'll make it so there's no chance of you escaping again." The reverend utters darkly, aiming the gun at my legs.

"Steve, you're going damn-well too far, she's just a little girl!" I hear Sarah Newlin say but her husband pays no attention to her.

I squeeze my eyes shut, readying myself for the pain that is sure to come. I can barely breathe, forcing air in and out of my lungs. Silent tears trickle down my cheeks as my face scrunches up in fear.

My heart all but stops in shock when Anna-Amelia abruptly lets go of my hair and gives a yelp as she's flung to the side, her over weight body slamming into the wall. Before I can turn to see what force had done this a chest is pressed against my back and an arm wraps around my shoulders protectively, pulling me against him. I can't help but smile, relief flooding through me. I would recognise that oddly warm body anywhere. He hadn't burnt, Godric was alive.

"So who's idea was it to steal Alba from me?"

**AN: Ta-da! Let me know. **


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. **

_**Previously**_

_My heart all but stops in shock when Anna-Amelia abruptly lets go of my hair and gives a yelp as she's flung to the side, her over weight body slamming into the wall. Before I can turn to see what force had done this a chest is pressed against my back and an arm wraps around my shoulders protectively, pulling me against him. I can't help but smile, relief flooding through me. I would recognise that oddly warm body anywhere. He hadn't burnt, Godric was alive._

"_So who's idea was it to steal Alba from me?"_

**On with the new.**

I raise my hands and clutch Godric's arm, tightly holding on to it, fearing that he would disappear if I let go. I'm still uncertain that he is really standing behind me, believing that my mind's playing cruel tricks on me before I'm shot by Newlin. At the thought my gaze move to the gun in Steve's hand, still aimed at my legs with one finger on the trigger, my insides go cold as I realise that I'm not out of the fire yet.

"We've been waiting for you." Says Steve with a slight tremor in his voice. "Herb, radio the army to move in." He orders and Herb turns his back on us to speak into his walkie-talkie. The atmosphere is tense and Mrs Newlin slowly edges backwards, her Barbie-like face scrunched up in fear and worry. Steve's stands strong in front of me but finally moves the gun downwards, towards the floor and I release the breath I had been holding. "My army will arrive any moment and they will take revenge on the chaos you've caused."

"Mr Newlin you continue to irritate me." Godric's voice is low and his grip on me tightens as he speaks. "You lure people in with your fake smiles and promises then turn them into hating machines to do your dirty work. I've met many like you over my time and believe me when I say your ignorance of vampires will ultimately be your downfall." He says the last part without passion, his voice becoming clinical which ultimately makes the reverend becomes angrier, frustrated because Godric isn't the vicious, blood thirsty monster that would to prove his preaching's where right.

"In a few moments we'll see who will fall," Steve's voice is low and threatening, he suddenly swivels around to face Herb and violently shouts, "Where are the troops?!"

"Myself and my progeny took care of them." Godric explains quietly, the reverend hears and turns back to face us, a furious look darkening his eyes.

"You killed my army?" The words come out in a harsh, hushed tone.

"No, we took all of their weapons so they couldn't fight." Godric says simply. "Most were too terrified to fight, they were weak." He pauses for a moment. "A result from poor leadership."

As realisation sinks in Steve becomes livid.

"I will not be beaten by undead fuckers!" He screams, his voice thundering around the room. He raises his hand to aim the gun at me and Godric. In a flash I'm pulled behind him, his body blocking my view of Steve and the gun. Godric places his hands on my hips to keep me in place behind him and I wrap my hands around the back of his shirt, scrunching the material in my grip so if Steve fired the gun I could wrench us out of the way. It was probably pointless, Godric could move us quicker than I ever could, but I felt safer with the small amount of control.

"Fucking shoot them both, they deserve it." A horrid voice spits out and I turn my head to see Anna-Amelia rising to her feet, wobbling a little. I glare at her but she doesn't shut her vulgar mouth. "You're a piss poor excuse for a human, whoring yourself out to vamps. Bitch needs to die for liking the leech...fucking disgusting," She spits on the floor, the thick fluid landing next to me.

I couldn't take her bullshit anymore, I try to move towards her but Godric stops me, tightening his grip on my hips to keep me in place. Anna-Amelia laughs and it just makes my blood boil, if I could just wipe that greasy smirk of her face then I would die a happy. Unfortunately Godric has other ideas and doesn't let me lose no matter how much I try to pry his hands from me.

He turns towards Anna-Amelia, catching her eye and instantly she falls into a trance. "Leave" he says and I realise that he's glamouring her. She turns on her heel and walks sluggishly out of the room with no comment.

Before our attentions return to the psychotic reverend a gust of wind passes me, the breeze ruffling my hair. In a flash, Eric stands beside Godric, his postures relaxed but I can see the slight defensive nature of his stance.

"This is a fucking joke." He says with a growl and I hear his fangs click out. I peek around their shoulders and see Steve looking worried, Herb was backing out of the room slowly and his wife had left during the argument. Steve Newlin stands on his own.

"Calm yourself Eric." Godric soothes and places his hand on Eric's shoulder, "there's no threat in the situation but I want you to take Alba outside, keep her out of harm's way." Eric turns to his maker, looking reluctant to leave him. "Please, my child."

Eric nods and turns towards me, at human pace he scoops me up, the pain in my feet ebbing as the cool air surrounds them. I notice Godric keep one hand on me until I'm safely in Eric's arms. With a final nod towards his maker and a hateful look shot at Steve Newlin he walks out of the room and I look over his shoulder to see Godric zoom towards Steve to knock the gun out of his hand.

However, before he does, Steve accidentally pulls the trigger a thunderous bang resonates around the room. I flinch at the sound and my heart leaps to my throat, beating erratically. I hide my head behind Eric's shoulder, squeezing my eyes shut tightly; his pace doesn't waver as he strides towards the exit. After a couple of seconds of silence I dare to peek back over his shoulder to see the gun lying on the floor and Steve dangling in the air, held by the throat. This is the last I see before Eric walks through the doors and they swing firmly shut behind him. After a couple more steps I squirm in his grip.

"Put me down, I can walk." I protest and he obliges, dropping me to the floor. Luckily I land gracefully on my feet but the action makes my feet feel like they're being slashed all over again I grit my teeth against the pain and hobble onwards.

We walk for a couple of minutes and I force my legs to carry me forwards despite the stinging pain on the soles of my feet. I was determined to walk out of this church. Eric strolls in front of me, stopping every few seconds with an irritated look on his face, tapping his foot in exaggerated impatience.

"Why do you insist on walking?" He asks, firing me a frustrated look.

"I am not a damsel in distress, God dammit. If I walk out of here on my own two feet then it counts as rescuing myself." I say through gritted teeth, staggering forwards.

"You're a girl who couldn't save herself and had to wait for me and Godric to come and save you. You are the epitome of damsel in distress." He smirks as he says this.

"Not if I can walk out of here on my own two feet, now hurry up Viking, I want to get out of here before dawn." I limp past him, pushing myself faster and wince when one of the cuts split open, warm blood making my steps slippery.

I'm suddenly lifted off the ground and in a dizzying blur I'm thrown over a muscled shoulder. "Stubborn wench." He mutters under his breath. I beat on his back, my small fists pounding on his leather jacket but he doesn't take any notice and just chuckles at my pathetic efforts. He begins to walk towards the exit at human pace, prolonging my humiliation of being carried.

"Put me down, I will hobble out of here with my chin held high." He ignores me and carries on, as we approach the door I feel the chill of the air coming through the open entrance and I shiver. As suddenly as I was picked up Eric places me down just inside of the door, holding me steady as my feet surge in pain at the contact. I shoot him a questioning look.

"You wanted to walk out of here yourself." I grin and take unsteady baby steps through the door, this counts as saving myself and I couldn't be prouder. I throw my head back at stare at the moon hanging in the sky, covered with wispy steaks of cloud. I inhale deeply, glad to be out of the suffocating church. "You should have been a Viking, you're as stubborn as one." I look up at Eric, shocked at the semi-compliment but before I can respond a car horn beeps from across the parking lot.

"Alba! Come on, we need to go!" It's Jason and I was glad to see he had gotten out of the church safely and was now sitting in a mediocre car. Before I can take a step towards him a blur flashes in front of me.

"Eric, why is she on her feet?" Godric shoots Eric a disapproving look.

"Your human had a complex." Was all he mutters before he flashes away to the car Jason had acquired.

Godric turns to me and my breath hitches in my throat. A surge of happiness bursts through me as it sinks in that he hadn't burnt at all and this was real. My eyes take him in, from his masculine hands to the dark tattoos etched on his lean body, I want to run my finger over the dark lines of the tattoo on his collar and feel his warm skin under my fingertips. I shake my head out of the thoughts before they lead to much less innocent wonderings.

"Show me your feet." He softly commands and I give him a withering look, this isn't going to make him happy. Slowly, I raise my less cut up foot to show him the damage. His eyes darken as he gently takes my foot in his hands to further inspect it. I place my hands on his shoulders for balance and so quickly that my heart leaps to my throat, he drops my foot and hooks one arm under my knees, knocking them out from beneath me and lifting me up into his arms. Without a word he walks towards the car that Jason and Eric are by, I can hear them arguing over what had happened in the church. Eric tries to rationally explain the events and telling him that they'll carry me back to the hotel but Jason refuses and demands I stay in the car with him.

"Would you mind if you gave us all a ride back to the hotel?" Godric asks and Jason looks up at us, his eyes narrowing at seeing me being carried by Godric, a simple gesture that screamed 'why is he touching my baby sister?'. I don't want him to worry so I angle my feet away from him so he can't see the damage Mark had inflicted.

"Sure." He says begrudgedly. "It's the least I can do for getting Alba out of there." He starts the car and we get in. I thought Eric would get in the front with Jason or demand to drive but surprisingly he sits in the back with me and Godric.

Jason and I talk during the car ride but Eric and Godric are silent. Godric looks darkly out of the window, wearing the same expression he had when he saw my torn up soles. Eric doesn't take his eyes off him, worriedly gazing at his maker

"Varesig bekymmer du?" _(__What troubels you?)_Eric asks quietly.

"När jag var en slav, klippa min skapare mina fötter för att stoppa mig från att köra." (_When I was a slave, my maker cut my feet to stop me from running)._Godric replies and threads his fingers through mine, clutching my hand tightly. He brings our joined hands close to his lips, pressing his mouth tenderly against each knuckle.

"Jag vill inte se åsamkas med samma övergrepp_." ( __I don't want to see her inflicted with the same abuse)._He continues and Eric doesn't respond, the rest of the journey is spent in silence with Godric's fingers wrapped around mine.

When we arrive at the hotel I slide out of the car after Godric, balancing my weight on the less painful part of my feet. Eric stands directly in front of my brother and I try to glance at them to see what his up to but before I can, Godric picks me up and in a blur he moves to us to the door of my hotel room with immense speed.

"I don't think I will ever get used to that." I admit with a grin, he smiles back at me but says nothing, I look down at my bear bloody feet and quietly admit. "I thought you had burnt."

"I was going to, I thought it was the right time but then I felt your fear and panic." He curls his fingers under my chin, grasping it gently and tilts my head up. "I couldn't ignore it."

"You were going to burn yourself, Godric. Please tell me you won't try it again?"

"No, I found something that finally interests me."

And with this he slowly leans forward, the anticipation quickens my heart rate. He slides his hands down my jaw to the back of my neck, the contact making my skin burn with desire. His lips brush mine gently, placing a small kiss on them before pulling away. With a fierce desire for more I close the gap between us and kiss him hard, he responds instantly, holding me close to him as our mouths explore each other's. The passion behind the kiss leaves a burning within me and my hands slide up the back of his shirt, feeling every muscle. His first kiss was gentle and testing but this kiss is deeper, a passionate battle for dominance. A battle that I'm unwilling to surrender to easily. I feel his hands glide across my back and down the curve of my waist. I pull him closer still, not able to get enough of him when a chilling thought enters my head.

Brendon.

I feel as if a bucket of icy water had been dumped on my head and I freeze. Godric feels my body suddenly become rigid and marginally pulls away.

"What's wrong, mon feu?" He asks, gently kissing the corner of my mouth. I want to respond, to kiss him back and never stop. The thought makes me angry at myself for betraying Brendon, I try pull myself out of Godric's embrace but he holds me still.

"What troubles you?" He persists, leaning back to give me a questioning look.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this. As much as I want you Godric, I have a boyfriend back home and I can't betray him like this." I thought he would be mad at me or angry that I 'belong' to someone else but to my surprise he laughs. His lips, that I had just been kissing, form an irresistible smirk.

"Alba, for the first time in many centuries I have found someone that interests me. Do you really think I would let you go for something as trivial as a human boyfriend?" He leans close again and grazes his lips on my forehead, planting a firm kiss there before letting me go and taking a step backwards.

"We'll see each other soon." Is all he says before he's swiftly gone from my sight.

I take a couple of seconds to recover from my shock before I release a shaky breath, if Brendon knew about this it would crush him. I resolve to never let him find out, a dishonest way out but I can't hurt him. Sighing to myself I turn and entre the unlocked room.

**AN: Admittedly I got a little bit of writers block on this chapter but I like how it turned out in the end. Brendon comes in very soon. Let me know your thoughts. **


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood**

**Important note: As that whole blunder with the maenad confused me, for the sake of this story it never happened. **

_**Previously**_

"_We'll see each other soon." Is all he says before he's swiftly gone from my sight. _

_I take a couple of seconds to recover from my shock before I release a shaky breath, if Brendon knew about this it would crush him. I resolve to never let him find out, a dishonest way out but I can't hurt him. Sighing to myself I turn and entre the unlocked room. _

**On with the new.**

Getting back to Bon Temps had been agonizing. My feet were getting worse and I couldn't hide the limp from Jason or Sookie, they asked if I was okay and I vaguely told them about scratching my feet accidently, downplaying the seriousness of the damage. When I got into the hotel room, last night, I dared to peek at the soles of my feet and horrid jagged lines oozed blood. Dirt and piece of gravel were wedged in between the severed flesh, I had tried to clean them but it was too painful so I found a pair of Jason's socks and covered my feet. It was a stupid idea and now parts had become infected. I sit in the cosy kitchen in my home and peel off the socks, the blood had dried and the cuts scabbed over and attached to the sock. I scream into my sleeve as the scabs rip off when I pull the sock, I try to go slow but it feels like torture, as if my feet were being boiled and burnt. So on the count of three, I rip both socks off. Pain blares through me and I curl up and silently scream, fearing Sookie would hear me. Tears of pain trickle down my cheeks as red rivulets of blood drip to the floor. I dare to inspect the cuts, and parts have turned an ugly yellow colour, puss seeping out of the wounds. I contemplate telling Sookie but I don't won't to worry her, I'll leave it a couple more days and see if they start to heal.

I limp over to the sink and clean the blood off my feet and the kitchen floor, then wrap my feet in old scraps of cloth, covering them with a thick pair of socks. I pick up Jason's socks to toss them in the trash when I hear the kitchen door open.

"Hey Alba, I've got to run to the store and get some food in, you want to come?" I hid the socks behind me and turn to face her.

"No, I've got to catch up on some school work. I better get started."

"Oh, okay." She says disappointed. Since last night she had profusely apologised for Bill not coming back for me or Jason though she never explicitly said why he didn't. She partly blames herself and has been trying to make it up to me despite me telling her that it wasn't her fault.

"Bring me back something sweet?" I ask her and she perks up, happy to be able to make it up to me in this small gesture.

"Sure, I'll get you something nice." She says, picking up the keys and heading out of the door.

"None of that sugar free crap!" I shout after her, hoping she heard. I toss the socks in the trash, breathing a sigh of relief that she hadn't seen them. I limp up the stairs to my perpetually cold bedroom and throw myself on my bed, time to get cracking with the school work, I thought and pick up a copy of Hamlet.

Later that night I'm still lying across my bed trying to catch up on English work, I'm halfway through Hamlet but distractions keep me from remembering any of it. I couldn't stop thinking about Godric, the thrill of kissing him, the heat and tension that had been between us could have made a nun shiver in desire. But the guilt of wanting him so badly shoots through me. His in Dallas, I remind myself, just part of the past now and I need to move forwards. I sigh and drop the dull book to the floor. I roll over and squeeze my eyes shut, willing myself to forget Godric but it seems impossible. As if in cue, a dull ache pulls at me and I groan, here it is again. A flash of a memory from the basement of the church shoots through my mind.

"_Promise to return to me, swear it or I'll steal you away."_

"_Why do you want me around so badly?"_

"_Do you not feel it too? That pull each night, beckoning you to come to the basement, to me." His fingers absentmindedly play with the ends of my auburn hair. _

Since the beginning of this night I had felt this pull tugging on my heart and nothing I do seems to sooth it, I'd tried different medicines, distracting myself and even sipping some disgusting herbal remedy but nothing seemed to satisfy it.

"Alba! You've got a visitor!" I hear Sookie shout up the stairs. I glance at the clock seeing the hands point towards midnight and frown, wondering who it could be at this time of night.

I hobble slowly down the stairs in my pajamas, which consisted of one of Jason's old shirts and a thick pair of socks.

"You could have put some pants on, Alba." Sookie says rolling her eyes as she holds the door open. I motion for her to shimmy off and she sarcastically salutes back at me and disappears into the living room. I stand in the doorway and stare shocked at Brendon lingering on my porch, his lanky frame slightly hunched over. A small bouquet of daisy tied with strings is gripped in his hand and I can't help but warmly smile at the thoughtful gesture.

"Alba." He says in a small whisper, seeming mesmerised.

"It's lovely to see you too." I joke and take two steps out of the house towards him when the daises are suddenly thrust into my hands.

"They're for you, to say sorry for being an arse of a boyfriend. You've been stuck at that Fellowship of the Sun Church and it's been on TV and everything, how the reverend had gone completely nuts and even blew up a vampire's house. Anyways, I figured it must have been tough being a recruit there and I didn't really listen to you on the phone, so I'm sorry." I'm completely thrown by the sudden apology, I look down at the flowers and smile warmly at the gesture. I place the daisies beside me, careful not to crush a single one and throw myself at him. He catches me and laughs as I wrap my arms and legs around him in a huge embrace. He squeezes me back, his arms winding around my waist to hold me up.

"You didn't have to apologise."

"I missed you." He whispers in my ear, the tension in his voice fading as he becomes more relaxed. "You were gone for weeks Alba, I thought you said you wouldn't be very long?"

Tears well up in my eyes, it had been a very complicated few weeks. "Things got out of hand but I'm back now." I drop my feet to the ground and ignore the pain bursting through them. Brendon holds my waist and pulls me in to kiss him, I don't resist and his mouth lands on mine. I close my eyes and wait for the deep desire to build within me like it had done with Godric but all I feel is a small warmth. Brendon deepens the kiss, his tongue eagerly exploring mine but I don't return the gesture with the same enthusiasm, he moans softly as his hands slide down to my arse, squeezing it harshly.

I pull back from him. "Let's not take this too far." He grins cockily and I roll my eyes, pulling him to sit next to me on the porch step. He sits close and I lean my head on his shoulder, enjoying the nice night. He wraps an arm loosely around me and I sigh.

"I got this new game the other day, only just came out. I played with Liam, you know Liam? The guy with the dodgy lip piercing? Anyways, I played it with him and he couldn't even shoot one of my zombies. Not a single fucking one, which means I am the champion of champions at it." I nod wearily, tired from barely sleeping the past few days. "Oh, and Christie, the girl who'll suck anyone off, got a little too frisky with Kitch Maynard on the team and his girlfriend walked in on them together. I hear she went ape shit and in revenge she shaved Christie's hair off."

"Sounds like I missed some big things." I say to him, kissing his cheek. That small pull in my chest had grew significantly, an invisible rope wrapped around my heart yanking me towards an unknown direction. Brendon turns to face me and leans in to kiss me again but stops short.

"Did you get contacts?" He asks, and I sit up straight

"No, why? What's wrong with my eyes?"

"The left has blue in it, mixing with your green. Neat trick, where'd you get the coloured contact?"

"It isn't a contact lense, it just started to change."

"That's pretty fucked up." I glare at him dangerously and he scrambles to rectify his mistake. "But in a good way." He stops to look at the rest of me, his eyes taking me in and a smirk stretches his lips. "In fact, you look fucking delicious babe. I don't know what you've been doing but damn, it's made you so much hotter, that hair of yours is like fire." I blush at the compliment and go to reply but before I can he leans in and kisses me again, urgently this time. His hands are everywhere on me, feeling the curve of my hip and squeezing the bare flesh of my thigh. I try to pull his hand away but he moves it further up my thigh and his fingers dive straight into the hem of my underwear. At the intrusion the pull flares within me, urgently forcing me away from Brendon. My eyes go wide in shock and I wrench myself away from him.

"Brendon, what is wrong with you tonight?" I ask him, a slight pant to my breathing. He pulls back, putting his hands on my arms and soothingly rubs them.

"Sorry baby, I didn't mean to push you. You just look so fine and I can't seem to take my hands off you." He looks genuinely apologetic so I forgive him.

"Just take it a little slower." I tell him with a grin and he leans into me incredibly slowly to take the piss. I laugh and pull him towards me, firmly planting his lips on mine. The action feels wrong and my stomach twists, feeling as if I should feel guilty for something. Brendon he runs his hands down the side of my body, he pulls back for air and as he leans in close again I turn away, instead he brushes his lips against my neck. He sucks gently against the flesh and I will myself to find some sort of pleasure in the act but I feel nothing. I absently hear a car come down the driveway but pay no mind to it. I had always felt like melting into a puddle of goo when Brendon kissed me, his touch used to make my body tingle in anticipation but now I couldn't feel anything and it bothered me greatly.

"Well this looks like fun." I yelp and pull away from Brendon at the sound of the voice, I turn to see Eric standing a few feet in front of us, a playful smirk on his lips but his eyes are fierce.

"Who is this?" Asks Brendon, sounding angry for being interrupted. He puts his arm around me and pulls me close in a possessive gesture, he'd always hated other guys being close to me, especially attractive one and unfortunately Eric topped the list when it came to attractive.

"Just a friend of Sookie's," I answer quickly. "She's inside, Eric."

"Actually it's you I've come looking for." He answers coolly.

"You're looking for my girlfriend in the middle of the night?" Brendon asks in an unhappy tone.

"Yes, so if you don't mind." Eric makes a gesture with his hand for Brendon to leave.

"Just piss off, mate." He says frustrated, standing up in front of Eric. At this his fangs click out and Brendon jumps back in fear, falling hard on to me. He tries to pull himself off me and I yelp when he leans on my foot but the pressure is quickly removed by Eric throwing him to one side.

"Your boyfriends charming." He tells me, amusement colouring his tone. I stand up and limp over to Brendon, helping him up.

"What do you want Eric?" I ask him.

"I was requested to collect you, your feet need sorting out." Even though he doesn't explicitly say it, I knew he meant Godric and my heart quickens its pace at the thought of him.

"Feet? What's wrong with your feet, Alba?" Brendon asks worriedly, I turn to him and peck his cheek.

"I scratched my feet a little, it's no big deal but I don't think he's," I gesture towards Eric, "going to leave without me."

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving you with a fucking vampire." Before I can reply I'm shifted out of the way and Eric stands before Brendon, he leans down and catches his eye in a hypnotic gaze. Brendon's expression turns dreamy, his eyes glazing over.

"You thought it would be best to let Alba come with me. Now go back into your shitty little car and drive home." Brendon nods slowly.

"Maybe you should go with the vampire, I'll see you tomorrow, Albert." I cringe at the full name as he slowly turns around and heads back into his car.

Eric raises an eyebrow at me, "Albert?"

"It's my full first name. Don't say anything." I warn threateningly but he just laughs and leads the way towards his car.

"What right do you think you have glamouring Brendon? And I'm not going with you, Eric, I've got school in the morning." I take a couple of steps back towards the house to prove my point.

"I wasn't giving you a choice." He says, taking extremely long steps to stand directly in front of me, he towered above me and I resisted the urge to push him back.

"My feet are fine, just go home Eric or back to whatever lair you came from." I turn back to the house but I don't even make it a step before I'm forcefully turned back to face him.

"I can smell the stench of the infection from here." He growls out and tries to catch my eye and I realise that his trying to glamour me. I turn my head put he grabs my chin and turns me to face him and I'm instantly caught by those vicious blues orbs.

"Sleep." Is all he says and I try to fight against the sudden fatigue the cloaks my mind. My body goes weak and I can barely stand. The Viking throws me over his shoulder and a flash of Sookie running out of the house. The pull of sleep overpowers me and my eyes close, surrendering myself to the darkness.

**AN: Today I was writing this chapter on a train and sitting across from me was a very posh old lady As I was writing I became hungry. It's safe to say she wasn't impressed when I started eating left over noodles with two pens for chopsticks. She was so disgusted she moved away. A little anecdote of my day.**

**I hope you guys are still interested. Let me know.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: True Blood really isn't mine.**

_**Previously**_

_I realise that his trying to glamour me. I turn my head but he grabs my chin and turns me to face him and I'm instantly caught by those vicious blues orbs. _

"_Sleep." Is all he says and I try to fight against the sudden fatigue the cloaks my mind. My body goes weak and I can barely stand. The Viking throws me over his shoulder and a flash of Sookie running out of the house. The pull of sleep overpowers me and my eyes close, surrendering myself to the darkness. _

**On with the new.**

A tickling sensation on my nose irks me, I crack my eye open to see a slither of auburn hair dangling on my nose. There's a gentle muffle of voices in the room but I ignore them, irritated with the strand of hair, I puff out a breath of air to shift it and close my eyes again, willing myself to be pulled under by sleep again.

"Alba?" A hand rests on my bare calf and gently shakes it. "Alba, are you awake?" The female voice drawls but I don't respond and I here an annoyed 'humph' before the hand tugs on my leg and drags me off whatever I was lying on to the cold, hard floor. I sit up and rub my eyes, seeing a blurry figure that looked suspiciously like Sookie looming over me.

"You are too lazy for your own good." She begins, her southern twang broadening with the motherly tone. "Why didn't you tell me your feet were cut up this bad?" My mind is too confused to give a coherent response and I feel a small tug at my heart and I groan. That bloody pull again.

"Are you even listening to me?" She prattles on and I look around the unfamiliar room, weird little ornaments and posters advertising a place called 'Fangtasia' litter the walls. Metal shelves are stacked with an array of alcohol and synthetic blood. I turn my gaze to the tidy wooden desk, it had a black leather chair behind it that was currently occupied by a smug looking Viking.

"ALBA!" Sookie shouts, I blink the sleep out of my eyes and turn to her.

"Sook, where the hell are we?"

"Finally, some response." She says whilst pulling me up, I hiss in pain as I stand on my feet and she instantly pulls me on to a comfy brown couch that I had been asleep on.

As I sit down I notice a person perching on the back of the couch and my eyes widen.

"Now I'm completely confused. How on earth are you here?"

Godric was wearing his usual expressionless mask but his lips edge upwards in a smile as I look at him. He wasn't wearing his usual white clothing and instead opted for dark jeans and a grey jumper that hugged his chest perfectly.

"I've come to stay with my child for a while, we've been apart for too long." He turns to Eric as he says this and a look of love deepens his eyes, Eric looks back at him not showing any outward emotion but his eyes soften at Godric's words.

"Alba, why didn't you tell me or Jason about your feet? It looks nasty, how did you do it?" Sookie's words are soft but I flinch at the memory of Mark digging his blade into the flesh of my foot. Sookie gasps and I give her a questioning look.

"Those bastards! How dare they just hold you down and slice you up like that." Realisation sinks in and I frown at her.

"You said you would never read my mind!" I say angrily.

She gives me and apologetic look, "I didn't mean to, you know I can't control it all the time."

I forgive her, it's wasn't her fault. I sigh and lean back on the couch. "So why are we here?" Where ever here was…

"Your feet are deeply cut and infection has set it," Godric answers. "They've been hurting you more then you've let on." He moves to sit next to my on the couch, sitting a small distant away. "Do you remember, when you were caught in the bomb blast?" I shudder at the memory, I still had nightmares of being paralysed. "How I gave you my blood to heal you?" My eyes snap to his and I gulp nervously.

"Alba, you have to keep an open mind to this." I stay silent and nod slowly. "I can feel your emotions, so when you're in trouble I can help." He brushes a stray piece of hair off my cheek. "But if I'm not here, away on business or something then I can't help you."

"What are you trying to tell me, Godric?" I ask, not liking where the conversations going.

"I want you to drink Eric's blood. That way if I'm ever too far away then Eric will help you." Before a single syllable could pass through my lips Sookie explodes.

"What?! No! I won't let you trick Alba the same way you tricked me." She shouts, glaring angrily at the Viking.

"I seem to remember that you were quite keen at the time." Eric purrs out, placing his feet on the edge of the desk, his long body stretching out in a relaxed position that seemed to frustrate Sookie more. She stands up from the couch and stands before the desk, placing her hands on her hips in a I'm-in-no-mood-for-your-shit pose.

"I was not, you tricked and manipulated me, you arse of a vampire!" Whilst she's shouting on my behalf I slide closer to Godric, the constant pull in my chest feeling soothed with his closeness.

"I gave you the choice, you didn't have to do it." Eric retorts simply. Godric raises his arm and I sink into the nook under his arm, leaning my head on his shoulder. I breathe of a sigh of content as he holds me close, I was too tired to feel guilty.

"Like hell you did! You are not feeding Alba your blood, wait until I tell Bill!" Sookie threatens and Eric laughs. She carries on angrily arguing with him, his replies full of innuendos and smirks.

"So, what do you think about my suggestion?" Godric asks me quietly whilst Sookie explodes at Eric, his voice a hushed whisper.

"I don't know," I admit. "I don't like the idea of having his blood." A small chuckle escapes his lips at this.

"Trust me, I find the idea of you having my child's blood only just bearable." He kisses my forehead, his lips linger close to the skin and I feel him breathe in deeply. "You smell funny, mon feu. You smell of another man."

His words are soft and un-accusing but he squeezes me a little tighter at them, "I told you I had a boyfriend. Nothing has changed since last night, I'm still taken."

"I remember, why do you think Eric was the one to pick you up?" His tone's light but I didn't want to think of what would happen if Brendon and Godric ever met. Sheer and utter chaos I imagine.

"Eric, I'm not going to argue with you anymore. Come on Alba, its 2 in the morning, we better get home." She turns to me and raises her eyebrow at the closeness of me and Godric. I stand up with some difficulty, Godric reluctantly loosening his grip on me. The pain in my feet flare but I don't mention it.

"Maybe I'll see you around." I tell him, he smiles at me and grabs my hand kissing my palm briefly. This silent response leaves me blushing and I duck my head to hide it.

Sookie holds the door open and music blasts through the room in a rhythmic thump. With one last look at the vampires I duck under her arm and out into a crammed bar. A bar. That's where I was?

"What is this place?" I shout over the music at Sookie who was dragging me through the crowds of people.

"It's a vampire bar called Fangtasia, Eric owns it." She shouts back whilst elbowing a woman with many facial piercing out of the way. Technically I'm too young to be in a bar but Brendon has a couple of fake IDs for us so we could go out from time to time, but I had never been to a place like this. The dark room was crammed full of people wearing tight black leather, scary make up and tattoos smothering their bodies as they gyrated up one another. A guy walks past me, intentionally grazing my arse on his way past. I turn to glare at him but he just winks seductively back. I turn my attention back to Sookie as she navigates us to the door, bumping into a tall, stunning blonde woman in her effort to get to the door.

"Well, aren't we in a hurry to leave. How about staying around for a _drink_?" The way she said drink in her smooth voice made me think that she didn't drink the traditional human alcohol. Her pale skin and impossible good looks made me realise she was a vampire.

"Get out the way Pam, I'm in no mood for your lesbian weirdness tonight." Sookie says with an edge of exasperation. The tall blond eyes me, her gaze checking every inch of me.

"Not all that bad, if I had to be stuck connected with some blood bag I guess I could tolerate you." She drawls.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"Hmm you'll find out." Her voice is sweet but I wasn't fooled, something about the smug look in her eye screamed lethal. Her ambiguous answer leaves me baffled but she steps out of our way and Sookie drags me outside before I can question her further. I dawdle slowly behind her, my feet aching.

"I'll take you to the hospital in the morning." She says as we get in to her crappy yellow car. Her voice sounded tired and I place my hand on her arm, giving her a comforting squeeze. She looks at me and smiles back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't agree with you having Eric's blood. I accepted Godric giving you his blood because it was to save your life and you're his-" She stops herself midsentence and I narrow my eyes at her.

"I'm his what?"

"Friend." She says after a pause. "You're his friend." She repeats staring the car and I didn't believe her one bit.

When we get home we both stumble to bed after a tiredly mumbled 'goodnight'. I hobble up the stairs and slip straight into bed, taking the pressure off my feet felt good but they still stung. After a couple of beats I drift off.

"Excuse me everyone." At the sound of the voice my eyes snap open but I can't see a thing.

"If I could have your attention." A sense of Déjà vu unsettles me and I recognise the masculine voice of Luke McDonald, the darkness began to ebb and I could see a faint outline of his figure standing at the foot of my bed.

"My name is Luke McDonald and I'm a member of The Fellowship of the Sun." I rise from my bed and run towards him. I try to shake him out of it but he doesn't even flicker an eye in my direction and just carries on speaking.

"And I have a message for you all." Tears start to stream down my face, and I place my hands on his cheeks, forcing him to look at me.

"Luke, please don't do this." I sob, he ignores me and coldly stares right on through me whilst unzipping his jacket to reveal the deadly mechanics of a bomb. "Luke, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what they twisted you to do, I should have stayed with you, I should have made you leave, I shouldn't have left you." My voice cracks, my face twisted in anguish as I beg for forgiveness. I see the detonator in his left hand.

"From Reverend Steve Newlin." He presses the button and my room erupts in bright light. My eyes close and the roar of the blasts deafens my ears. I'm thrown backwards into the wall as mental and debris mix together in the air, violently shredding all that lay in its way. After a couple of seconds the room goes still. I dare to prise my eyes open and I see blood covering the walls, my room had been obliterated, my favourite clothes torn, photos burnt but I can't bring myself to care about that. I look down at my stained fingers, covered in a thick red liquid. Luke McDonalds blood was on my hands.

I jolt up in my bed, sweat clinging Jason's old Bon Temps shirt to me. My face scrunches up in anguish as I let out a sob. Mt body shakes as I try to hush myself, but the dream had shaken me, terrified me to the bone. Absently I hear the buzzing of my phone and look to the clock seeing that it was only half 3 in the morning. Grateful for the distraction I lean over and answer the call.

"What?" I ask the unknown caller, my voice shaking.

"Well isn't that polite?" The voice on the other end jokes, I recognise it immediately and quip back.

"It's hardly polite to call people at this ungodly hour Eric, and whilst we're on the subject, stealing girls and taking them to your creepy bar isn't polite either!" My voice is a little stronger but still sounded broken.

Eric laughs and I hear the sound of the phone being passed over.

"Alba, invite us in." I hear Godric's voice and instantly feel soothed.

"Come in." I say automatically then curse myself for doing it, Sookie is going to freak when she finds out.

In a flash they are both in my room, their pale skin standing out in the darkness.

Godric leans casually by my window frame, his eyes trained on me.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I whisper-shout at them, worried that Sookie would over hear.

"In short, for you to drink Eric's blood." Godric's tone was smooth but held an air of command.

"Sookie would go mad at me if she finds out."

"A chance I'm willing to take."

"I'm not doing this."

"And I'm not leaving you on your own, unprotected."

"Why do you even care so much?! I'm sick of not knowing. What's the deal with the eyes, your warmth and this bloody pull that seems to drag me closer to you? I don't understand." The stress of the night was getting to me, the unsettling image of Luke's blood staining my hands imprinted in my mind. After my rant I fall back on my bed, suddenly exhausted.

I feel a dip in the bed as Godric places himself next to me, sitting cross legged close to my head. He picks up a lock of my hair and absently twirls it between his fingers. I crack one eye open to see Eric casually sitting on the thick metal bands of steal on the base of my bed.

"Mon feu, you are mine. And for now that is all you need to know, but you will find out so don't despair." I roll over and face him, a small smile graces his face as he gazes at the bright lock of hair between his fingers. "I have to leave in a few days to help Isabel with her new Sheriff duties and I won't leave you here to fend for yourself." I sit up next to him, my hair falling from between his fingers. "Either have Eric's blood, or I'll take you with me."

"I can't leave again, Brendon wouldn't like it." I hear a soft growl at the name but ignore it. "You aren't giving me much of a choice, are you?"

"I'm sorry," He says genuinely, "I don't like the thought of you having my child's blood either but it has to be done."

Eric stands up and walks towards me, I realise what his going to do and try to scramble off the bed away from him. Before I can a strong arm wraps around my waist and Godric firmly pulls me into his lap. I try to hide my head in the crook of his neck but he turns me around to face Eric with ease. No matter how much I try it can't break out of his grip, I hear the click of Eric's fangs and the small crunch of him biting the flesh of his palm. He places his hand flat on my mouth, I try to pull my head backwards but I just bang my head on Godric's chest. I feel his blood trickle into my mouth and before I can stop it, it glides down my throat. The sweet taste was addictive and it wasn't long before I genteelly sucked on the broken flesh, pulling his blood from him. After a couple of mouthfuls he pulls away, and I glare at him, annoyed that he could now sense my every emotion and location.

I try to pull out from Godric's grip but he keeps me close, threading his fingers through mine and kissing my cheek. His lips travel down to the side of my mouth and I almost turn to kiss him back when Brendon's name blares in my mind. Annoyed with myself for nearly succumbing to temptation, I turn my head away but it's harder than I thought it would be. His lips glaze across my cheek as I turn and he nibbles the corner of my ear instead, desire shoots through me and a pleasure begins to build deep within me.

"The bond definitely works, I can feel _everything_ she's feeling." The Viking winks cockily at me and I feel my face flush in embarrassment and anger.

"Alright, you've given me your ridiculous blood. Now can you please leave me to sleep?"

"You weren't enjoying sleeping before we came. I could feel it, you fear and guilt. What were you dreaming about, mon feu?" Godric asks but I didn't want to talk about the dream, I just wanted to forget.

"I'll tell you some other time." I let out a yawn and he chuckles behind me.

"I suppose we should leave you." And with this he lays me down on my bed and I wiggle under the covers, I feel a flash of air brush past me and knew Eric had already left. I knew Godric would soon be gone and the pull in my chest flares up at the thought, pulling hard.

"Stay." I say impulsively. "Just for a little while."

The room is silent for a couple of minutes and I think his already left when hands gently lift my head and place it back down on a warm thigh. I open my eyes to see Godric sitting cross legged, my head resting in his lap. I release a sigh of content and my eyes flutter shut. His fingers gently plays with my hair as I drift off, my last thought being a silent prayer to just have one nights rest without being plagued by nightmares.

**AN: To everyone who has reviewed 'Parting Glass'. THANK YOU. With last chapter I hit 100 reviews and I was more giddy then a child watching The Lion King for the first time. I really appreciate all the kind words. Let me know what you think of this chapter, cheers.**


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood.**

**AN: Sorry about the new summary, I never liked the old one and thought this was a little better. I hope it didn't confuse you.**

_**Previously**_

_The room is silent for a couple of minutes and I think his already left when hands gently lift my head and place it back down on a warm thigh. I open my eyes to see Godric sitting cross legged, my head resting in his lap. I release a sigh of content and my eyes flutter shut. His fingers gently plays with my hair as I drift off, my last thought being a silent prayer to just have one nights rest without being plagued by nightmares. _

**On with the new.**

I bounce down the stairs in the morning, and practically skipped to the kitchen. Even though I hadn't wanted Eric's blood, and much preferred a certain somebody else's, I was thankful that my feet were back to normal and I had so much energy I felt like I could run a marathon. Inside though, I was a little worried, I had ingested 3000 years' worth of vampire blood (if you combine Godric and Eric's ages) in the space of a couple of days and I had no idea if I would become addicted like one of those V addicts I'd seen on TV.

Sookie was in the kitchen, slouched over the counter as she waited for the kettle to boil. Her eyes were tired and she was wearing her old nightie, she turns to face me as I walk into the room.

"I'll take you to the hospital in an hour to get your feet looked at, you can go back to school tomorrow."

I look at her guiltily, she detested the idea of me having Eric's blood but I had still taken it, though not voluntarily. I bite my lip and contemplate on how to tell her when she swears and bangs the side of the kettle, trying to bring it back to life.

I grab an apple and hoist myself onto the counter, silently watching her amusing battle with the old appliance. A car honks out from outside the front of the house and she stops what she's doing.

"Who's that?" She asks me.

"It's Brendon giving me a lift to school, I texted him to pick me up." I say as I jump down from the counter relishing the fact that it didn't send jolts of pain through me.

"But your feet…" She begins, confused.

"Yeah, about that. Eric kind of gave his blood last night after we got home." I say this so fast my words blur together, I gulp as I see her enraged expression and run to grab my bag and shoes, sprinting out of the door before she could lecture me.

"Albert Stackhouse! You get back her right now." Sookie yells but I don't turn back.

"Got to go, love you, bye." I shout as the door slams behind me. With the apple still in my mouth, I hop on one foot down the porch, towards Brendon's car whilst wrestling my shoe onto my foot.

"Are you ever ready on time in the morning?" Brendon asks, laughing at my battle with my shoes. I stumble ungracefully into the car and lean over, pecking him on the lips.

"The day I'm out here on time is the day fairies start dancing around my house."

"I can arrange that." He tells me with a wink whilst backing out of the driveway.

The school day dragged on, lots of people knew I had gone to the fellowship of the sun with Jason and because of the recent meltdown of the Fellowship of the Suns organisation they all wanted to know what happened there, asking for all the juicy details.

By lunch time I was sick of telling the same story. I told them that I hadn't seen much and came home after the church disbanded, not mentioning anything to do with Godric or the bomb.

After grabbing some food from the cafeteria I sit on a table next to Brendon. He puts his arm around my waist and pulls me in for a kiss, I kiss him back, urging myself to feel passionate about the kiss but not even a drop of desire stirs within me.

"About time you got back, bitch. Brendon's been such a fucking sap these past few weeks." Christie, the girl who had sucked Kitch Maynard off, sneers. I pull away from Brendon and turn to her. She's wearing a bleach blond wig that resembled her old hair because Kitch's girlfriend had shaved it off in revenge. I've never really liked her, her sleep with anyone no matter who they are attitude always disgusted me.

"It's nice to know I've been missed." I laugh off whilst pecking Brendon on the cheek, avoiding his lips. The way Christie is eyeing me makes me uneasy, she peers at me through narrowed slits as if assessing something.

"You look weird." She tells me. "You look good actually, really good." Her speculative tone darkens and I begin to get nervous. Could she know the effects of vampire blood? Before she can finish her line of thoughts a friend of mine taps her on the shoulder from behind.

"Who invited you to sit on this table?" She asks darkly and I have to fight against a smile.

"Just fuck off, slut." Christie sneers back.

"You shag my boyfriend then have the courtesy to call me a slut. I think you should move before I tell the room what you _gave_ him for it." She leans down close to Christies ear. "That's right bitch, I know all about the drugs." Christies face pales and doesn't say a word as she stands up and totters away on her ridiculously high heels, shooting the girl hateful looks.

"Well, that was pleasant." I say with a grin and she grins back at me whilst sitting in Christie's seat.

"It's good to see you back Albert. Place has been dull without you." She pauses and her face twists in contemplation. "No, actually it's been pretty exciting."

"Thanks, Sarah." I say dryly.

"I didn't mean it like that. After you left there was this mass homicide a few towns over, a whole sorority of girls were drained." I'd heard of that, Brendon had told me over the phone whilst I was at the church, apparently 7 girls had all been found drained and brutally mutilated, their house shredded and destroyed by a force much stronger than a human. Naturally the police came to conclusion that it was a vampire attack.

"A few days after that, a girl was taken from a street and came to the same bloody end. Three more girls have gone missing since." Her voice is low as if she was talking about a forbidden curse, I felt terrible for those girls.

"That's truly awful." She nods in understanding.

"What kind of sick fuck would do such a thing?" Brendon spits out and I agree with him. We all look down gloomily so I decide to change the subject.

"Since when were you going out with Kitch?" I ask and Sarah laughs.

"He asked me out and I thought 'hey, the guys got a great body, he must be terrific in bed', turns out I couldn't be more wrong." She pulls a face and I laugh, spying Kitch out of the corner of my eye flirting with a tall blonde. "I didn't like him all that much and was going to dump him but Christie got her claws into him before I could. Well, I weren't going to take that bitches shit, she just did it to humiliate me. Came to my house too to rub it in to my face and, well, after she called a 'fat frigid cunt' one too many times, I tackled her and cut her hair off. It was easy though, she was as high as a kite."

I feel bad for Sarah, despite her easy going smile I can see that it hurt her to be humiliated like that, no doubt Christie had tried to make her life a living hell since. I grab her hand that rests on the table and give it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here." I tell her and she smiles gratefully at me. I hadn't been friends with Sarah for long but she was one of the few people I could call my friend. She'd defended me when everyone in school was calling my family a 'fucked up, fang banging mess' and stuck by my side even when all my other friends deserted me, saying that they felt uneasy knowing vampire Bill regularly enters my house.

"Not like you could have done anything to stop her." She grumbles, looking down.

"Oh, I don't know. I could have cheered you on as you hacked her hair off." She laughs and proceeds to tell me a descriptive account of Christie's unsavoury behaviour.

After school I had gone to Brendon's, we attempted to do homework but instead decided that doing nothing was more appealing. I lay across Brendon's crumpled bed as he lounges next to me with an Xbox controller in hand, playing on a game called 'Call of Duty'. The setting was a wrecked town and animated people were running everywhere, blasting one another. I had tried to play but couldn't seem to take two steps without being snippered, I accidently shot someone and Brendon cheered but was less than impressed when I ran up to the person I'd shot to apologise. The sky had turned dark outside and I knew that Sookie was waiting to blow up at me at home for taking Eric's blood but I wanted to stay with Brendon a little longer. I hummed to myself as my mind wondered, I had woken up this morning with the smell of Godric on my bed and I smile to myself remembering the woodsy scent. I was so far off in my wonderings that I didn't notice that Brendon had left his game and turned the TV off. I frown at his odd behaviour and sit up when I see the serious look on his face.

"Alba… I didn't want to mention it at school because I knew rumours would start if someone overheard but I can't keep silent like nothing happened last night." He begins and my insides go cold. It was foolish to believe that he wouldn't mention it but part of me had hopped he would forget last night. "Who was that vampire? I know it wasn't vampire Bill. What was he doing there?" My breath catches in my throat, and I can feel the panic rising. What could I tell him? I shouldn't lie to him but if I told him the whole story, would he believe me? I bite my lip nervously, struggling to find what to say.

"Dammit Alba, a vampire turned up at your house unexpectedly and looked like he could pulverise a car with his little finger. Do you have any idea what went through my head? I thought it was that vampire psychopath that had been ripping girls apart, I thought he was going to tear you up and drain you dry. I thought I would lose you." His voice turns from angry to gentle, genuine hurt clouding his eyes. I release the breath of air I had been holding, this isn't fair to let him worry like this. I should tell him.

"Listen in Dallas, at the church. I met this vampire they had locked up." The words fall from my mouth, relived to finally tell someone the whole story. He doesn't say a word through my recent adventures, just nodding silently. When I tell him about the bombing, kidnapping and foot torture a scowl darkens his face, though what really irks him is the idea of being connected to Godric and Eric. After I'm finished there's a couple of beats of silence between us.

"They put you through so much at that church, if you had stayed in Bon Temps none of that would have happened. I'm sorry you had to go through it alone."

"I wasn't alone, I had Jason." And Godric but I don't dare mention his name, every time it came up in the story Brendon frowned.

"But still, to get mixed up in all that shit." He shakes his head. He suddenly looks up at me and grabs me hand in a supportive gesture. "I swear I won't let them vampire creeps near you again, violating you by forcing you to take their blood is just fucking sick." Brendon had always had a low opinion of vampires and after the recent events with girls being drained, his opinion had considerably sunk. I didn't feel like I had been violated, I was grateful for Godric's blood and mostly grateful for Eric's. "If you get any signs of addiction, you tell me and I'll stake them both."

"Brendon, calm down. It wasn't all that bad and their blood made me better, I wouldn't be standing if Godric hadn't given me his blood. There was shrapnel in my spine that paralysed me. He saved me." Brendon just stares at me gobsmacked, then his eyes fill with sympathy and my heart warms to him just a little but then freezes with his next words.

"Did he try anything with you?" He asks sternly. I feel my cheeks heat up and a blush colours my skin.

"He may have kissed me." I admit and his face darkens considerably.

"I want to meet him." To say I was shocked by this was an understatement. My mouth hung open in surprise and all I could do was gawp at him. I could just imagine Godric and Brendon coming face to face, both completely believing that I belonged to them and only them, I knew how that would end and it wouldn't be pretty.

"Maybe that isn't such a good idea."

"No, I want to tell him that he has no right to you. His followed you to a different state, don't you think that's a little creepy?" I open my mouth to argue back but he carries on. "His good at it, I'll give him that. Telling you you're his reason to live."

"Good at what?" I ask, confused.

"Luring you in to trust him. You can't trust vampires Alba, they'll lead you straight into trouble." I was growing tired of Brendon's attitude and the small tug on my heart had begun to ache. I sigh, troubled. Telling Brendon about the whole story wasn't as comforting as I first thought it would be, he seems to have looked past all the dangerous situations Godric had helped me out of and focus instead on the fact that Godric was becoming close to me, too close for Brendon's liking.

"Look Brendon, I know you don't like vampires being around me but I'll stay away from them from now on. Okay?" I hold the sides of his face gently and lean into kiss him. He visibly relaxes under my touch and kisses me back. What was only meant to be a short sweet kiss turned into something much warmer and I at last feel a slither of desire for Brendon for the first time since I had been back. As we kiss he pulls me on top of him so I'm straddling his waist. My shirt rides up a little and he takes this as his opportunity to glide his hands underneath, his clammy hands resting on the curve of my waist. I wrap my arms around him and deepen the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth eagerly. This makes the pull on my chest pulls hard, twisting my insides painfully. I pull away from, breathing heavily from the pain. He takes this as a need for air and nips at my jaw line.

"Why don't you just stay the night?"

I couldn't breathe right and guilt blazes through me. This makes me angry, I had nothing to feel guilty about. In anger and defiance of the pull, I grab Brendon and attach his lips back onto mine. With a fierce passion my lips battle his and I run my hands down his body, flashes of being pressed against Godric's lean naked chest flares through my mind and desire builds within me. Frustrated with desiring the wrong person, I push Brendon down so I'm hovering over him, he pants heavily and I can feel his hard bulge pressing against my thigh. I give him a chance to breathe as my lips move to his jaw, nipping and sucking the skin pleasurably. He groans under my touch and his hands slide down to clutch my arse, he pulls me closer to him, pushing me against his erection. He moves his hands and I feel his fingers nervously fumble with my jeans button and it takes all my will power not to throw my self off him.

I do not belong to Godric, I get to choose who I want and no pull will tell me otherwise.

I hear a knock at the door and Brendon's mother shouts "Brendon, there's someone at the door." He groans and I pull away a bit.

"Ma I'm busy! Can't you answer the door?" Brendon yells back and pulls me close to him, attacking my lips with his own. This time his hands are everywhere, unable to get enough of me.

"Okay" his mother shouts back but Brendon ignores her, pulling me closer to him still. The sound of the door slamming open jolts us, before I can move an arm wraps around my waist and firmly pulls me off Brendon and back to the other side of the small room, as far away from the panting boy as possible.

"What the-" A deep growl cuts Brendon off and he looks terrified. He manages to pull himself up into a sitting position whilst I fight against the arm but the person just pulls me back into their hard chest, gripping me tightly. Lips find their way to my ear.

"You even dare to try and hurt my maker like this again and I will castrate any male you're with." The menace in Eric's deep tone sends a shudder through me.

"I don't want any trouble" Brendon says with palms raised in the air. "Just let her go, she wants nothing to do with you." Brendon speaks slowly so his not misunderstood but Eric misinterprets it as being patronising and his fangs fly out in anger. In a blur Eric holds Brendon off the ground by the throat.

"I will not tolerate the insolence of a pathetic human boy." He growls out.

"Next time I see you so much as touch her, I will rip your fucking heart out." The threat didn't sound empty.

Brendon doesn't answer as he tries to pry Eric's hand from his throat but Eric tightens his hold causing Brendon becomes blue in the face, choking on Eric's grip. I rush forwards and try and get around Eric to aid Brendon but he winds his free hand around my waist, pulling me to his side. He releases Brendon and he drops to the floor like a ton of bricks, gasping for air. I try and kneel down beside him but Eric keeps me locked in place. The sight of Brendon's defeated stance triggers something in my mind.

"Eric. Glamour him to forget you came here, make him think that I just left to go home." My voice breaks as I say this and tears leak from my eyes. Seeing Brendon splutter on the floor because of me burned, this was my fault. Luke was dead because of me and by the way I'm going Brendon would be dead because of me too. Eric turns to me and raises an eyebrow.

"Why should I?"

"If you do." I swallow nervously. "If you do, I'll be with Godric for this evening. You said this hurt him, well, you can take me to him and I'll make amends somehow." I say defeated, I turn to face him and his expression is blank except for the calculative look in his eye.

"Deal." He breathes out but what amazes me is the soft look of relief that crosses his face. Without hesitating, he crouches down to Brendon's eye level and catches his gaze, telling him a bundle of lies about the events of this evening. I apologise to him over and over again in my head but this just doesn't placate my burning guilt.

Eric stands back up to full height, towering over me. Without a word he hoists me over his shoulder and speeds out of the house and into the night air.

**AN: This chapter took me ages to write, I hope you think it turned out alright. Let me know. **


	20. Chapter 19

**Declaimer: I do not own True Blood **

_**Previously**_

_Eric stands back up to full height, towering over me. Without a word he hoists me over his shoulder and speeds out of the house and into the night air. _

**On with the new**

Eric had dropped me in the middle of a dark and empty road, ordering me to walk the rest of the way. He angrily warned me to fix Godric before he stalked off. With a frustrated huff I walked down the long, familiar road that led to my driveway, with only the moon to light my way I frequently stumble over cracks in road and tree branches. I become lost in my own thoughts of mundane trivia until a small tug on my heart brings my mind to Godric. I contemplate what I would say to him, no doubt he would be at my home since Eric had left me here. I felt conflicted, should I apologise for being with my boyfriend? Or angry for letting his Viking child pull me away from Brendon every time I get close to him? Both felt wrong, I hadn't done anything wrong to apologise for but it wasn't his fault that Eric seems to have a caveman approach when it comes to dealing with me either. I kick a stone frustratedly and it bounces off a nearby tree. Looking up I see the lights of my house shinning a small distance away, I smile, glad to be close to home and walk faster.

As I walk up to the steps of the old porch I spot Godric.

He sat on the white steps, the paint was chipped and the steps were littered with mud and dry leaves but he didn't seem to notice as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He doesn't even glance my away and just stared into the far off distance.

I gingerly place myself down on the other side of the steps, my eyes not leaving his rigid body. I wanted to comfort him, to blurt out an apology but I knew I wasn't in the wrong.

He was sitting as still as a statue with a look of calm gracing his face. But I wasn't fooled, there was something stormy behind those bluey grey eyes that exhumed power and anger.

"Why do you do it?" He says with a clenched jaw, his voice controlled. "Why do you insist on pushing yourself to be with that _boy." _He spits out the last word like it was a poison on his tongue. He still doesn't look at me but I see his eyes narrow.

I have to take a deep breath before answering. "I'm not going to drop Brendon like he is some worthless toy. I can't do that to him." Out of the corner of my eye I see Godric shake his head in disapproval. I sigh and look up, gazing at the stars with little interest. "But it's hard," I admit. "It feels like I'm forcing myself to feel something for Brendon and no matter how much I try or how much I get physical with him this bloody pull tells me it isn't right." He lets out a dry laugh but doesn't say anything, still looking into the distant trees. I narrow my eyes in anger.

"I'm not an idiot. This pull I can feel, it's some sort of bond with you, ever since I've met you its compelled me towards you and it's exhausting fighting against it. But I didn't ask for it, I won't be forced into liking someone by some mysterious bond." I tell him forcefully, standing up to march into the house. But I pause, stopping mid-step as sudden realization rushes through me.

"I'm not doing this to spite you. I just want to have the choice." I say softly.

"I understand. You're a compelling human, Alba. You have a sense of loyalty and a strong will to fight, I admire you. I'm glad you're not some selfish human who would just throw themselves at me, abandoning everyone they love just so they can be with a vampire or connected to someone with so much power and money." There's a soft nature of pride within the start of his words but it steadily turns to spite towards the end. He finally turns to face me and his face is impassive, the expressionless mask is back. I steadily walk back over to the steps and sit back down, sitting closer to him.

"I miss it." I admit to him, he glances at me questioningly and I elaborate. "Sneaking out to the basement of the church just to see you." A smile creeps on my lips, thinking back to how things used to be a mere week ago. I turn to him and grin, "It used to be freezing down there, you know? That frigid air clung to me the whole night. But it was worth it just to hear your stories. You didn't speak much but when you did the tales that came from your mouth could keep me enticed for hours." A content sigh slips from my lips and I see Godric smile slightly. "Can we have another night like that?" I ask him.

"There's nothing I would desire more." He tells me softly. My heart warms at his words and I feel the warmth spread to my cheeks. We sit in a comfortable silence, both staring out in to the darkness as the wind begins to pick up, twirling strands of my hair. The constant tug on my chest is calm and it feels easy like this, reminding me of the nights we spent peacefully chatting.

"Your home was destroyed by the bomb, where do you live?" I ask curiously.

"Eric has offered me to stay at his home."

"He really does love you, I imagine he would do anything for you." A smile filled with affection graces his lips.

"As I would for him, we have grown very close." He turns to me with an amused grin. "When I first made him he defied me on everything, he was impossible to deal with and refused any order I gave. Overtime he obeyed me but deep down he will always be a stubborn Viking, right until the end." I laugh at this and a breeze chills me. I shiver but say nothing, not wanting the light conversation to end.

"Tell me a story, old man." I say whilst absentmindedly laying my head on his shoulder, his warm body soothing mine just with the simple touch. He raises his arm and winds it around me, pulling me closer to him so my forehead rests on the curve of his neck. The action was smooth but it unsettled much the action felt natural.

Resting his head on top of mine he tells me stories of his years with Eric, not stories filled with hate and anger but tales that make me laugh or leave me in wonder, all stories leaving me completely impressed at the adventures his had. He tells me how Eric had unintentionally glamoured a king to hand his kingdom over to a toothless prostitute and the times he himself had nearly been caught by the sun, only cleverly escaping to safety within mere seconds of its rising.

After a long while Sookie's car pulls up on the drive and the unnatural rusty roar the yellow car made jolts me. After only hearing the soothing sound of Godric's low voice for so long the intrusion of the offending sound was startling. I reluctantly pull myself away from Godric's warm side and blink sleepily. I hear the slam of a car door and the crunch of gravel as Sookie walks towards us, I turn and see her in her Merlotte's uniform with tired bags under her eyes. She sees Godric sitting next to me and she pulls her lips into a small smirk.

"Don't stay up too late." She mutters with a smug I-know-and-you-don't grin. Before I answer she trudges up the steps, passing us, and disappears into the house. I was shocked, where was the Sookie Stackhouse that lectured me on staying outside too late with boys? I shake my head in disbelief and turn back to Godric who had entertained himself by running a thin lock of my hair round and around his finger.

"You're always twirling my hair around your fingers, you have such a fascination with it." I comment offhandedly but I didn't expect the delicious smirk that plays on his lips in return.

"It's fire, mon feu. I play with it because when I do this," He holds his hand up that's curling a lock of my hair. "It's like I'm playing a dangerous game, I can't help but get as close as I dare to the vicious flames." His voice becomes seductively low and he leans forward, his nose grazing my neck as I struggle to find my breath. "I dare to let it blister me because I'm addicted to the gamble, one wrong move and I'm burnt." Suddenly I felt as if we weren't talking about my hair anymore.

"Sounds life threatening." I manage to whisper out, breathlessly.

He lets out a low chuckle, his warm breath brushing my neck and sending shivers of pleasure through me. "I assure you, it's worth the gamble." And with this he begins to plant slow, warm kisses on the curve under my chin, sweeping my hair over one shoulder and moving his lips towards my ear, trailing kisses that leave me burning for so much more. I can't help but let out a small moan that makes him growl in satisfaction back, I wanted to pull him towards me and plant my lips on his. I wanted the fierce battle of passion between our mouths again, both trying to claim the dominant role. Before I can act upon my desires he pulls away ever so slightly.

"If 2000 years of existing has taught me anything it's always leave them wanting more." And with this he nips the edge of my ear and pulls back. I try to catch my breath and resist the urge to jump his bones, as glorious as his kissing skills were I didn't think he would appreciate me tackling him like a horny teenager.

Satisfied with my feelings of desire for him, he puts a hand behind my neck and pulls me towards him, planting a small but affectionate peck on my forehead. "Until next time, mon feu."

A flash of a blur and I'm dizzyingly left alone, I lean back on the steps and reminisce the feeling his lips had instilled within me. I wanted it again. I wanted more, much more. I wanted Godric.

**AN: I know it's short but I promise more will come soon. Let me know what you think **


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood. **

_**Previously**_

_Satisfied with my feelings of desire for him, he puts a hand behind my neck and pulls me towards him, planting a small but affectionate peck on my forehead. "Until next time, mon feu." _

_A flash of a blur and I'm dizzyingly left alone, I lean back on the steps and reminisce the feeling his lips had instilled within me. I wanted it again. I wanted more, much more. I wanted Godric. _

**On with the new.**

After Godric had left me on the steps I headed for bed, exhaustedly falling into the soft sheets and instantly falling asleep.

I wake with a jolt and turn over, surprised to be alone in my old sheets. The dream I had flashes through my mind, it had begun pretty tame but soon escalated into steamy filth. I let out a shaky breath and run a hand through my thick, auburn mane, my fingers catching on small knots that had formed from my relentless tossing and turning. The memory of being pressed between the powerful bodies of two certain vampires makes me blush, I can't help but grin dreamily at how real their touch had felt, hands gliding over my body, Godric's fingers skimming the curve of my breast whilst Eric's fangs grazed the nape of my neck.

The sound of my phone vibrating knocks me out of my thoughts and I lurch over to grab my phone off the bedside table. The screen lights up with a text from Eric and I click on it to read, confused by what he could want.

_Sweet dreams? ~ E_

I feel my face heat up with embarrassment and I throw my phone back down whilst swinging my legs over the side of the bed. Having Eric being able to read my emotions is exactly what I didn't want, he didn't seem like the type of person to be the sensitive and understanding. More like the type to go out of his way to humiliate others. God help me.

I jump up and head towards the shower, my mind swirling with vampires and breakfast choices. What should I do about Brendon? I wanted Godric, I couldn't deny the attraction I felt for him anymore. The fool Hugo had been right about one thing, being desired by something that powerful was addictive.

I vigorously scrub myself with some honey shower scrub Sookie had gotten me, my skin protests as I scoured myself in a vain attempt to wash away my problems. Sighing, I throw the sponge down and lean back against the shower wall, letting the hot spray stream down my side. I squeeze my eyes shut and will myself to think of Brendon, his charming smile, easy banter and pretty face all swim to my mind but none of these factors stir even a slight twinge of lust within me, just a dull echo of liking that I used to feel. I let my mind drift back to Godric and instantly my heart pounds a little harder, his touch could elicit burning passion within me or calm me until I felt safe from the world. I was entirely entranced by his compelling control.

I hear my phone start to ring and jump out of the shower, fumbling for my small black brick on the sink counter. The moist air had slicked the plastic case and it flies out of my hand and straight into the sink with a loud clunk. I release a grown of frustration and try again, this time successfully answering the phone without any mishaps.

"Hello?"

Sarah's cheerful voice sings through the phone. "Good news Alba, last night some kids completely trashed the school, apparently the damage is that bad we won't have to go for a couple of days. So I was thinking that tonight me, you and Brendon could go grab a few drinks then go dancing, you've still got that fake ID right?"

"Hell yes, you come up with the best of plans. The most I ever would have thought of is some cheesy movie marathon, your idea's way better."

"Knew you'd be up for it, can you give Brendon a heads up about tonight?"

"Yeah sure. So about the school, how trashed is it?"

"I got there early this morning to finish an essay for today and there was total chaos. The school was a complete wreck, whoever trashed it did a thorough job. There's even great chucks of walls smashed and torn apart, but here's the funny thing, there's no evidence of any tools been used, it's like it was destroyed with bare hands, weird shit ay?"

I didn't want to say anything but it sounded like a vampires doing, what person could tear a wall apart so easily? But it seemed strange to me that a vampire would want to wreck a school, what would be the point?

"Completely freaky." I respond.

"Oh God, oh God. My mom's going to kill me, I just spilt green nail varnish all over the cream couch." Her voice is high with panic and I supress a laugh at her complete fear of her mother's wrath. "This will wash out, right?" She asks in a desperate plea.

"Ermm sure." I knew the cream sofa would be doomed but it seemed harsh to not give her any hope. "If you need to take refuge you can come here before your mom gets home from work."

"You are a life saver, so if I come to yours tonight and get ready, you're okay with that?" She sounded relieved.

"That sounds good to me, see you later." I hang up and start getting ready for the day, contemplating on what I should wear tonight. I bounce down the stairs and jump at the bottom, still feeling energised from having so much vampire blood lately. Even though I hadn't wanted Eric's blood, I really should thank him because without it I would be limping around in complete pain with hospital bills to pay that I really couldn't afford.

Sookie was lounging on the sofa with her pajamas on whilst watching TV, I grab the plate of eggs and bacon she had made me for breakfast and place myself down next to her. She turns to look at me as I scoff the eggs in my mouth, being as graceful as a morbidly obese ballerina.

"The poor guy has to settle for a slob like you." She sighs and I stick my tongue out at her, blobs of egg and bacon covering said tongue.

"Brendon likes my sloppiness, he says it's oddly sexy." I say after swallowing the food, Gran would have bonked my head with a wooden spoon if I talked with my mouth full.

"I wasn't talking about Brendon." She mutters whilst changing the channel, I'm about to respond when the news clip catches my eye. It was the derange reverend and his wife on TV arguing for all vampires to be 'shown the holy light of the lord and become a holy bonfire'. His arguments had always been rational with reasons behind his demands, but now he seemed edgy and far less collected. His hair wasn't perfect anymore, the dull brown strands rumpled and greasy. I wander what Godric had done to him after he ordered Eric to take me out of that hateful church. He obviously hadn't harmed him as Newlin looked fine. Had he glamoured him? Or threatened him some way? The questions were gnawing at my mind and I resolved on asking him when I next saw him.

"What do you think happened to the people in the church?" I ask Sookie, she lingers her gaze on the TV for a couple of seconds more, then pulls her concentration to me.

"I heard on the news the other day that most of the recruits have abandoned the movement, some stay loyal to him but he has very few followers."

The familiar voice of Anna Amelia instantly snaps my attention back to the TV, I watch as she chats about fangbangers on the national news channel.

"_I met this one deranged vampire lover, she deluded herself into thinking a vampire cared for her and betrayed her fellow humans to be able to kiss the dirt the vampire walked on."_

"_And where did you meet this alleged 'vampire lover'?" _

"_She was one of the recruits of the church, pretended to hate vampires so she could fit in. Nasty piece of work she was, but God teaches us to accept all. Well, I was conflicted to accept her but then bitch brought a vicious pack of vampires to storm our loving church."_

I stared at the screen in shock, Sookie's face mirrored my shock with her mouth hanging open.

"Did that just happen?"

"I guess she really didn't like me, at least she didn't say my name."

"Some people are just awful, she will never be a true Christian." I just nod silently, a little put out that I had tacitly been called a fangbanger on national TV. I had always had Hannah to stick up for me when Anna Amelia harassed me and I suddenly felt guilty that I hadn't called. Placing my plate aside I run up the stairs to find my phone, scrolling down the contacts to call Hannah.

I wait for her to pick up but when the familiar '_This person is unavailable'_ speech pops up, I hang up and resolve to try again later, thinking about it as hard as I could so I wouldn't forget.

I spend the rest of the day helping Sookie potter around the house, cleaning furniture, curtains, kitchen utensils, windows and even sorting the hectic garden until it was a house that Gran would be proud of. It still hurt to think of her but it felt nice being able to do something that she would actually be proud of, I'm sure running off and joining an anti-vampire movement would have made her less pleased. I'd half-hearted texted Brendon in the early afternoon, he phoned me back to make sure I was okay and tell me he couldn't make it because he was babysitting his little brother.

I sat at my desk in my small room waiting for Sarah to arrive, I stared absentmindedly at the flowers that Brendon had got me when I returned. It had only been a few nights ago but so many of my feelings for him had changed since, the more I tried to push myself to like him the more I felt disconnected with him. I sigh wearily, maybe it wasn't right to keep things going with him but what excuse could I give him, _I'm leaving you for a 2000 year old vampire? _It just didn't sound legitimate.

"Someone's in deep thoughts." I jump out of my skin and twist to see Sarah lounging against my door frame. "I did knock but you must have been away with some very sexy fairies." She grins but it falls short when she sees the look on my face. "Maybe not such a sexy fairy at all, you look upset, what's up, hun?"

I bite my lip, unsure whether to tell her the whole Brendon fiasco. She sees the hesitance on my face and walks into the room, closing the door for privacy and plonking herself down onto my bed.

"I don't want to push you, but maybe it'll help if you tell me about it."

"I'm not so sure, it's something big."

"Fine I'll tell you a secret first, then you tell me yours. Then we can never tell the other ones secret because we'll be worried that they'll spread our own secret in spite." It takes me a couple of seconds to wrap my head around her words but I finally nod, agreeing.

"Alright but you can go first."

"When I was with Ketch, just for the little while, he actually made me happy. We had fun together, I felt popular and he was always taking me to awesome parties that made my life feel a little less dull. Anyways, one night he took me to this small gathering, he told me it was just for the hottest people in school. I'd snorted at the phrase but still agreed to go, hoping it would be as fun as the other nights. When I got there people were acting completely off the wall, I felt as if I had walked into an intermit orgy. They were all practically naked, just touching and feeling each other and laughing, one guy was trying to tear down a wall declaring that he was 'fuckingly epic' and strong whilst a girl sucked him off." She shakes her head at the memory, I felt awful for her, being dragged into something like that. "Well it didn't take me long to realise they were high but I didn't know what they were on, Brendon gave me a drink and left me. I downed the drink, needing it to just give me strength but I didn't realise what he had slipped into it." She pauses with a disturbed expression on her face, she looked edgy and I could tell it was difficult for her to talk about this.

"It's okay, I'm not going to judge you." I tell her whilst grabbing her hand. She looks at me but doesn't smile, a haunted look twisting her pretty features.

"Alba, I don't remember what happened after that. I completely blacked out. Sometimes I have flashes of what happened, Ketch with Christie, a random guy beating the shit out of another guy. It was a hell I never want to go back to." She shudders, and squeezes her eyes shut, willing tears away.

"Do you know what he gave you?" I ask gently.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was V." I stiffen, I knew V was taken as a serious offence in the vampire world, dealers and users always went missing without a trace. I also knew the effects of the drug were addictive.

"Please tell me you haven't tried it since?" She shakes her head violently, like the mere thought made her sick.

"No, I never want to do that again. It's safe to say I never went out with Brendon again, pretending to be more pissed about him sleeping with Christie." For the first time I don't see Sarah as this strong girl but someone who was afraid, this whole experience had shook her up and I hadn't even been here to help.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you, but if those idiots ever try and pull that shit with you again, you let me know." She nods and smiles gratefully then sniffs loudly.

"Alright, enough of my dull life." She says this with too much enthusiasm, forcing herself to be cheerful. "Let's hear about your problem." Sensing that she wanted to move on from her bad experience I decide to tell her the events of the past few weeks.

"When I went to the church…" I tell her the whole story, from meeting the mysterious and compelling vampire in the basement to the bomb that had paralysed me. I told her all of my confused and mixed feelings for Godric, the pull, the constant mention of the eyes, the odd warmth radiating from him when he should be cold. She stays silent throughout my story, completely shocked at the bizarre few weeks I had had. I downplay the foot torture but she still gasps in horror at the mistreatment. When I'm finished I take a deep breath, wondering what she must be thinking.

"Bombs, kidnapping, vampire blood, a 2000 year old vampire with a 1000 year old child. I really don't know what to say."

"Yeah, we've both been through some rough patches over the past couple of weeks." I laugh weakly.

"Give me time to just process all this, let's get ready and go, a few drinks may be needed before we can tackle your problem."

"Agreed."

A few hours later and we're walking into a nightclub in Shreveport, I jokingly asked Sarah if she wanted to go to Fangtasia but she declined, claiming that black really wasn't her colour. The loud beat of the music thrummed through my heart, which highlighted the ever present pull. I ignore it and follow Sarah to the bar, tackling our way through the crowded room. Guy's eyes slowly linger on her curvy form as she glides past them gracefully. I keep my head down and stumble behind her, feeling awkward under their leering gazes. After a couple of drinks I gained confidence and dance with Sarah to the familiar beats of the songs on the dance floor, the room was crammed pull of people and no matter how hard I tried to avoid it, there was always some guy dancing up against me with no room for me to move out of the way.

I feel a hand grab my wrist and pull me in a random direction, I follow the hand seeing its Sarah as she leads me out of the back into the smoking area. I hold her purse as she lights up a cigarette, she offers me one but I turn it down, the smell had always repulsed me.

"So, let's get down to business. You and Brendon aren't working."

I pull a face, "Well, we are and we aren't. He likes me but I can't seem to like him anymore."

"And this is because of you infatuation with a vampire?" Her tone is matter of factly and completely unjudging but it sounds ridiculous to hear it out loud.

"Well his determined to have me."

"Hun, did you ever think he might just want you because he can't have you? I've read that it's a huge complex amongst men, living or dead I imagine."

I stay silent, what she's saying makes sense but I refuse to believe her. I rub the ache on my chest, trying to sooth it. My attempt was in vain and I knew only one person would be able to calm the pull.

"Let's just forget about it for now and have fun. I can't take any more serious thinking." She agrees and begins to tell me a light hearted story of her mother's latest attempts at speed dating, I laugh as she tell me how she ended up going out with a midget named Dwain. As she takes one last drag of her cigarette a couple of guys walk up to us, they stagger a little with intoxication and smile lazily at us.

"If you were a bogie, I'd pick you." I roll my eyes at the seriously repulsive pick up line and turn back to Sarah who was giggling behind her hand.

"How charming, but me and my friend need to go."

"Naa beautiful, you don't need to go anywhere, just stay here with me." One of them grabs my arm and pulls me in close, leaning heavily on me.

I try and laugh it off, "Listen I'm not interested, I'm taken."

"Tell your boyfriend, if he thinks his got beef, that I'm a vegetarian and I'm not fucking scared of him." He seems proud of his little line, completely unaware that I know he stole it from a song.

I pull myself from his suffocating grip, telling him to stay there while I went to grab my coat so we could leave together. His face lit up at the thought of pulling and he waited there as I grabbed Sarah and tottered off, laughing.

We walk back to the bar when we spot a commotion on the other side of the room. People were hurriedly moving out the way of something, eagerly getting to the exit as fast as they could. A loud crash drowns out the loud beat of the music and makes the room shudder, the whole room turns to face the scene. I was too short to see over people's heads to see but I assumed it was some drunken fist fight that had gotten out of hand and turn back to the bar to grab my drink.

"What do you think it is?" Sarah asks me whilst trying to peer over people's heads, I shrug my shoulders just as another loud crash shakes the room again. The music suddenly stops, a deathly silence settling over the club for a split second before someone screams '_vampire attack'_ and the whole room erupts into chaos.

High pitched screams and squeals assault my ears as drunken people slam into one another whilst scrambling for the small door. Out of the corner of my eye I see a figure smash through the wall of the club with an almighty bang, the room shudders with the force of the hit and plaster and dust is scattered everywhere, clouding the air.

At the commotion the many people still fighting to squeeze through the one small door scream louder and start beating their way out, the huddle of terrified people become one mass brawl. I jump back to avoid being punched in the face by a random flying fist from a drunk bearded man with too many nose piercings and wild eyes, in the process I lose my grip on Sarah and no matter how much I reach for her we're pulled apart by the flow of people.

A tall lady with 6inch heels on pushes Sarah violently out of the way and straight into the bearded man who retaliates by grabbing her by the hair and throwing her violently to the side so he could be closer to the door. I rush forwards and grab her by the arms, pulling her up. She gasps with shock and I see fearful tears well up in her eyes, at this moment another deafening crack shakes the room. I swivel my head around to see two blurring figures violently trying to end the other. They slammed each other around, dust and debris clouding the air with every slam into the walls, tables, floor, seemingly everywhere at once with the vampire speed. Sarah comes to her senses first and grabs my arm dragging me towards the door with the rest of the crowd. I hold her hand tight and stay as close as I can to her but an arm winds around my waist and I'm pulled violently back, forcing me to lose my grip on Sarah.

In a dizzying blur I find myself being thrown onto the floor of the smoking area. My heart slams against my chest in fear as I look up to see a man stand before me, his clothes and skin were filthy, blood, mud and plaster dust covering every inch of him. My breath comes out in short ragged burst as he leans closer to me, he sinks to his knees with a leg either side of me, straddling my waist.

I was frozen with fear as I stared into the man's eyes, surprisingly they didn't look evil or blood thirsty but completely lost. He inhales deeply and grins, his blood stained lips stretching over his equally stained teeth suddenly the lost look in his eye diminishes and I fear he had found what he was looking for. I let out a small squeak as he leans forward, filthy hands gently cupping my face. I look at him in complete confusion, why wasn't he tearing my throat apart and drinking me dry?

"R-R-R-Rose?" His voice trembled out, like he was unused to speaking. The relieved joy that lit up his eyes and filled his weak voice made my heart twist but I was still terrified.

"R-Rose." He repeats while his fingers gently stroke my cheeks, bloody tears trickle down his face. I try and wiggle out from under him but he we too strong, not even noticing my efforts to escape.

Silence hangs in the air for a couple of seconds whilst he stares at me adoringly. I hear a deep, feral growl filled with anger that seems to instil more terror within me. Before I blink the vampire is thrown off me and savagely attacked. I watch as he roars in anger at being ripped away from me, the vampires start fighting but it's too fast for my human eyes to follow. I slowly stand up and try and head for the exit, hoping I could get out in one piece. My head was swirling from the sickening twist of alcohol and fear, I could feel my palms sweat as I abandon my heels and run for the door of the club. The room was empty of humans and all I hear is the clashes of fighting as I run but silence slices through the air as I throw the heavy door open. Before I can make to freedom, an arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back inside, letting the door slam and seal off my exit. I don't have time to scream before I'm spun around to face a very angry Godric.

**AN: Sorry it took me so long to write, I was a little stuck for inspiration. Too make up for the awfully long wait I decided to make the chapter extra-long. Let me know what you think.**


	22. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood**

_**Previously **_

_The room was empty of humans and all I hear is the clashes of fighting as I run but silence slices through the air as I throw the heavy door open. Before I can make to freedom, an arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back inside, letting the door slam and seal off my exit. I don't have time to scream before I'm spun around to face a very angry Godric._

**On with the new.**

"You shouldn't be here." He growls out, his unfamiliar accent laced with anger.

My head spins making it hard to form a coherent sentence, I breathe heavily and just stare at him. My eyes take him in and I gasp at the disarrayed state he was in, blood trickled down the side of his face and his neck was wrapped in deep purple bruise that were fading by the second. Small wounds all over his body were rapidly healing, I watched in amazement as one particular deep gash on his shoulder knits back together. His shirt had been torn off and his lean chest was covered in blood, dirt and dust.

"Who was that?" I stutter out, still on edge. He grimaces slightly but doesn't answer me, instead he places his hands on my arms, his firm grip warming the chill of my skin. His eyes quickly take me in, not in a leering way but as if he was assessing me for damage.

"Godric, tell me who that was!" His eyes snap back to mine and there's a vicious glint in his eye, his fangs were still prominent and he looked terrifying. I gulp nervously and stand my ground.

"That was James Wren, he's an old vampire that's gone mad." He replies in a controlled calm voice.

"Why did he call me Rose?"

He doesn't answer and just gives me a stern look.

"Tell me." I demand firmly but it was useless, his lips were sealed shut.

After a few beats of silence I let out a shaky breath and tear my eyes from his to look around the ruined room. The floor was covered in rubble, from thick wooden splinters to huge slabs of plaster that had been ripped from the wall and thrown, all covered in a thick layer of plaster dust. The room was a mess and I knew I couldn't stay here much longer, I don't think the police would see a girl who hangs out with a vampire as completely innocent.

"Godric, I have to go find my friend but please, call me later and tell me what this was about." I walk backwards as I say this but he follows my steps. I shoot him a questioning look but the sly smirk creeping onto his face stops me dead in my tracks, it screamed predatory. I edge backwards until my back is pressed firmly against the door. But Godric doesn't stop, he carries on moving forward until his body moulds into every curve of mine. My heart rapidly pounds against my chest and his smirk widens into a grin.

He raises a hand to rest on the curve of my jaw and brushes his warm lips over the corner of my mouth, a delicious urge to just turn my head slightly and tackle his lips with mine overwhelms me but he pulls away slightly before I have the chance.

"I'll keep close." His voice comes out in a low whisper, his breath skimming the curve of my cheek.

And in the blink of an eye he was gone.

Without hesitating I open the door and slip out, spurred on by the distant wail of sirens. Crowds of clubbers still hung around the car park, most of which were excitedly chatting to one another of how they weren't afraid. Of course, I think dryly, their frantic running and screaming was a sign of bravery.

I weave through the crowds, scanning each group of provocatively dressed people for a sign of my friend. I spot her in the corner of the parking lot, worriedly glancing around. As soon as her eyes land on me her shoulders visibly relax in relief and I hurriedly scuttle over to her.

"Alba! I'm so sorry, I got pulled with the crowd, I didn't mean to lose you." She embraces me and I hug her back tightly, squeezing my eyes shut at the memory of James Wrens lost eyes and blood smeared mouth.

"After we got separated I tried to get out but there was this mad vampire." I pause contemplating my next words, choosing them carefully. "He tried to attack me but I got a little bit of help, so don't worry."

"Help from who?"

"A friend." I say and she rolls her eyes.

"So our attempt at a fun night out was completely ruined. Shall we just head back to mine for toast and a Disney marathon?" As much as the offer delighted me, I was suddenly exhausted from the brief attack and just wanted to curl up in bed.

"Maybe this weekend, I'm just want to go home to bed, sorry Sarah."

We walk around the corner to the taxi rank, my feet were still bare from being discarded earlier in the club and now they were freezing as I walked on the wet pavement. It wasn't long before we found separate taxis and said our goodbyes, Sarah making me promise to call her in the morning.

I sigh and lean back in the taxi, my head slightly throbbing from the stress of the night and alcohol I had drunk.

"Fangtasia" A voice suddenly orders and my eyes spring open in shock. Godric's pale form sat right next to mine, he had replaced his ruined shirt for a black hoody with the hood pulled up to hide the dried blood on his head. The taxi driver nods and begins to drive and all I can do is stare in surprise with my mouth hanging open.

And then I realised, I hadn't felt it. The constant pull that tugged on my chest until I physically ached had been soothed since the club. Somehow he hadn't really left my side, I just hadn't known.

"I guess I shouldn't really be surprised." I sigh, a yawn mixing with my words.

He shrugs, "I said I would keep close to you."

"Why though?"

"I will try to explain it to you at Fangtasia." He answers whilst wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I let my head roll to his shoulder and relax against his embrace.

"Will you tell me about the pull too?" I mumble sleepily. "And the warmth and eye change?" More than once I had stared at the reflection of my eyes in the mirror, seeing a distinct difference with the colour.

"Perhaps" He tells me and we say nothing more, the rattle of the unhealthy engine keeping me awake. As we pull up outside the vampire bar I suppress a groan. The nightlife here was in full swing with blaring music and people screeching loudly at one another, I follow Godric through the entrance and see the tall blonde lady from last time stare curiously at me as we enter. He carries on through the crowded bar with ease, heading straight for the back corridor that leads to Eric's office. I tried to follow but people kept blocking my way and in the end I frustratedly shoved my way past until I felt a warm hand encircle my wrist and help me navigate through the crowds.

"Thank you." I say half-heartedly as I begrudgedly march into Eric's office, not wanting to see the arrogant Viking. As I follow Godric into the room I realise it was empty. Not a tall hot dead blond in sight, I felt my mood suddenly perk up.

"Eric's not here?" I say, unable to keep the cheerful tone out of my voice.

"No. His fucking the pole dancer in the basement." He replied casually and I choke on my laugh whilst placing myself on the couch, he sits close to me, his knees brushing against mine.

"So this James Wren, is he the one who's been taking all them girls?"

He nods sternly, "Yes but he won't kill any other girl until he has you, he believes you are his."

"Why?"

"Because of what you are."

"What am I?" I ask him but he doesn't respond, just looks in the other direction which makes my blood burn with frustration.

"What am I?" I ask again and rise from my seat, my fist clenched angrily at my side. "Stop with this whole mysterious act! I want to know."

"You don't need to know." His jaw clenches and avoids looking my way.

"I have a mad vampire stalking me for my blood and you won't even tell me why." He says nothing, just carries on staring daggers at the wall which makes me even more mad.

"Fine." I shout, throwing my hands up in defeat. "I'll figure it out for myself." I start to pace the room, my lips pursed in concentration. "I have a connection to you specifically. The pull makes me always want to be near you and you're the only vampire that's warm to me, Eric's as cold as ice. My eye colour is changing to yours. But just the one eye though." I ponder out loud, and then I suddenly turn around, bringing my face close to his to search his eyes for my answer. "And one of your eyes are too, it's becoming greenish like mine. Which means as much as I'm connected to you, your connected to me." After a brief pause I carry on. "It's a vampire thing isn't it? Your race doesn't let the public know much about you, hell I didn't even know what glamouring was before I met you. I'm willing to bet there's more to your race then what meets the eye."

"You're getting dangerously close, mon feu."

I stop my speculations and sit down on the comfy couch, I stay quiet and look down at my hands. After a few minutes I feel Godric graze his fingers over the soft skin of my cheek.

"What's going through that mind of yours?"

I slow move my finger close to his, the pads of my finger relishing the warmth of his skin.

"I don't know the details but we have a connection that ties us together, I guess knowing what you call the connection doesn't matter."

"Mates." He says this so softly I almost don't hear him. "For every vampire there is one human that belongs to them." He threads his finger through mine and holds my hand tightly. "Vampires have been finding their mates since I was made, a vampire might find them when they are as young 100 or when they reach quadruple digits, it's purely by chance."

"James Wren found his mate 400 years ago, he was a well-known pirate at the time, indestructible some said but they didn't know he was a vampire. He was ruthless, taking everything he desired, gold, women, jewels, without a care in the world. Rose Covey was a toothless prostitute, she worked in a rundown tavern near the coast, struggling to pay off her debts. On a raid led by Wren, pirates flooded the town she was staying in. The tavern was set alight and whilst running out the back a man spotted her and threw her to the ground, proceeding to violate her in horrendous ways. James Wren had been close at the time, when her blood was spilt he became animalistic. He never told me what exactly happened after but the pirate raping his Mate was viciously torn to pieces. Since then they had been together, arguing, loving, fucking every chance they could, they truly loved one another." He had a peacefully happy grin playing on his lips, his eyes looking into the far off distance but his expression suddenly darken and his grip tightens on my hand. "Last week Rose was killed by an old enemy of James, when a vampires Mate is killed they are absorbed by madness, unable to cope with the loss of half of their heart they rampage and kill with impossible strength in search for what they have lost."

"You Alba have the alluring scent of a Mate, so when James caught your scent he was determined to have you, thinking that you were what he had lost."

"That's terrible, he looked so lost and desperate back at the club. Could I replace her?" I ask curiously, maybe I could help him somehow. My thoughts are swiftly interrupted by Godric suddenly grabbing my arms and bringing me close to him, his face was twisted with anger.

"No! Do not even try to go near him." His words come out in a dark growl.

"Why? What would he do?" I ask, my voice a small whisper.

"As soon as your blood would touch his tongue he would realise you're not Rose and kill you. Quickly if you were lucky."

"Oh." Is all I could weakly utter out. "When will he stop? Killing girls I mean."

"He won't regain his mind, so the authority has left it to me to kill him."

"Why you?"

"I'm the eldest in the area, they needed my strength to kill him."

I can't think of anything to say, my mind swirling with mad vampires eyes, a toothless prostitute and the word 'Mate'.

"That's a lot to take in." I manage to breathe out.

"I need to go and find where he went, see if I can follow his scent from the club."

"You can't - " He covers my mouth with his hand, stopping my words in their tracks.

"I will be offended if you doubt me, mon feu."

He stands up and leaves the room for a split second, returning with the tall blond Viking in tow who was still buckling his belt. Ignoring him Godric walks over to me.

"Stay close to Eric for tonight, I'll be back beside you before the night is over." He goes to peck my forehead but before he can I cup his cheeks in my hands and place a kiss on his lips.

"Be careful." I tell him, worried a mad vampire would tear him apart.

"I'll be fine." He assures me with a cocky, confident grin. He turns to Eric and begins to speak in a different language. "Om han kommer nära henne, ta henne och springa." _If he comes close to her, take her and run._

"Jag kommer." _I will. _Eric replies seriously, a suprising differnce from his usually mocking tone. They clasp eachother on the shoulder and Godric disapears, leaving me with tall, blond and cockey.

I cross my arms and glare at the tall Viking who just darkly chuckles in return.

"Just sit there and be quite, I have work to do." He says, pointing to the couch. I stomp go to sit on the far right of it, the furthest away from him but his chuckle stops me.

"What?"

"You wouldn't want to sit there if you knew what me and Yvette, my lovely pole dancer, were doing on that particular spot earlier."

My eyes widen and I quickly avoid the couch all together, deciding to sit on the floor instead, although uncomfortable, it would be far less diseased. After half an hour of twiddling a pencil between my fingers I ask Eric if he could take me home.

"After I finish my work." He says without looking up.

"But you're not working! I can see you playing solitaire on your phone!"

"Would you prefer to discuss your dreams last night instead?" Arrogance laces his voice and I feel my face flush with embarrassment when remembering the pulse racing dream I had of him and Godric.

"Enjoy your game." I mumble under my breath whilst looking down, hoping that he would drop the conversation.

"No, I'm interested, tell me. Was it just my handsome self or both me and Godric pleasuring you?"

Oh God.

**AN: Hello. Sorry this took forever and a day, I'm stuck for ideas so if you have any suggestions for this story please feel free to tell me, it would be a great help. **

**Let me know what you think x**


	23. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood**

It was dark in the narrow hallway, I squint to try and make out the end but all I could see was the endless corridor that faded into the darkness.

"Alba?" At the sound of Godric's voice I turn around to peer into the darkness for any sign of him, but all I see is the never ending expanse of brick walls and concrete floor.

"Godric?" I call out, my voice a thin whisper. I knew he was here but I couldn't see him, after receiving no reply I inch forwards. The hall was empty, void of any doors or windows which made me feel trapped, like a hamster forced to run along a maze.

"Godric please! Just answer me!" I plead but he doesn't answer me back and nothing but the distant ticking of a clock reaches my ears.

I carry on moving forwards slowly, the empty corridor seeming to stretch longer with every step. I let out a shaky breath, the cold air making my hot breath fog in front of my face.

I go to take another step but arms stop me from moving. My heart leaps to my throat and I let out a startled squeak. Before I have chance to break free I'm pushed firmly into the wall, the rough surface of the bricks biting into my back. I look up and see Godric standing a few paces away from me, his grin feral as he stares at me with a look of pure desire.

"I've been looking for you, for too long you've hidden from me." Godric's voice is low, an animalistic growl lacing his words. I watch as he prowls closer to me, like a hunter closing in on its prey, until his nose was just inches from mine. His body wasn't the thickest of builds but his graceful movements and commanding air made him seem so much more powerful than men with muscles that bulge like bowling balls on their arms. He raises his hand to cup my jaw, a small smirk played on his lips that said he was going to get exactly what he wanted.

Turning my head to the left, he leans in and plants a slow, lingering kiss on my right cheek. "Ma vie."

He gently turns my head the other way and places a kiss on my other cheek. "Mon feu."

Turning my head once more to face him, I stare at his eyes. Flickers of green that had once clouded one of his eyes had now flourished and devoured the rest of his original soft blue to form a bright green colour, exactly like mine.

"My mate."

And with this last word he leans into kiss me, I was expecting a gentle peck but I couldn't have been more wrong. His talented lips entrance me, making me his to bend and move at his will. Although this kiss consumed me with heat and passion, I fiercely fought back against the control he had over me, determined to make him the one to bend at my will. With our lips fiercely fighting against one another with such vigour I had to pull away, panting for breath. However, Godric didn't let up and pressed his lips back to mine, his hands wrapping around me and pushing me against the wall, his body pressed against mine, trapping me. I could physically feel his desire for me against my thigh and it only made my own desire for him overwhelm me.

A familiar voice coming from the other side of the wall distracts me and I turn my head away from Godric to listen closely, his lips travel down to my neck and I gasp in pleasure as he nips and sucks lightly on my skin.

"My name is Luke McDonald." Terror rushes through me and makes me go cold, I try to push Godric away but he only grunts in annoyance and presses me harder against the wall, capturing my lips with his once more.

"Godric, I have to help him." I murmur desperately against his lips, trying to push him away from me despite my body's hunger for more. He marginally moves back, his eyes searching mine for what was wrong.

"And I have a message for you all, from reverend Steve Newlin." My heart sinks as I know there was no time left to stop him, squeezing my eyes shut I press one last gentle kiss on Godric's lips before the bomb erupts and obliterates everything in its fiery path.

The last thing I feel is Godric's gory remains splattering against me.

I wake with a start, cold sweat dripping down the back of my neck as my eyes flicker around the room in fear. I look down at myself, expecting to see myself covered in Godric's messy remains but my short black dress is unstained. I had fallen asleep sitting in the corner of Eric's office but now I was lying across the large black couch, I suspect it was Eric's doing but I seriously doubted he would do something so kind. I rub my chest feeling empty, the ache of the pull straining with the horrible dream, fuelled by the absence Godric. I was getting tired of the repetitive dreams, the bomb at Godric's home hadn't just shaken me but made me feel guilty about Luke's death, maybe I should talk to Jason about this, he isn't the brightest crayon in the pack but he can be pretty understanding at times.

Unable to shake the feeling of guilt I throw my legs over the side of the couch and walk out of the empty office in search for a decent drink. The pounding music was so loud it made the walls shudder and it made me wonder how Eric keeps his office so quiet. I huff at the sight of so many people crammed into the dark room, I try to skirt around the groups of scantily clad dancers but it was near to impossible with drunken women bumping into me and either giggling an apology or giving me a filthy look whilst telling me to watch my step. Finally I reach the bar and throw myself on an empty bar stool before it got claimed by a tired dancer. I sigh in relief and rub my bare feet, disgusted of having to walk around the club with no shoes and decide that I didn't just need a drink but I need a strong drink.

The bartender gives me a suspicious look as I order.

"You sure your old enough, kid?"

"You think I would have got past that if I wasn't?" I jab my thumb towards the tall blonde women who always had an air of viciousness about her. The bartender grins and walks off to get my drink and I take the chance to look around, leaning my elbows on the counter I scan the room and my jaw drops at what I see.

Eric is sat on a wooden throne placed upon on stage, giving him a view of the whole bar. He sits back with an arrogant grin on his lips as women, and some men, crowd around his feet in desperation to be noticed by the tall blonde sex God. He pays them no mind as his cold stare scans the room, his gaze lands on me and he smirks. Rolling my eyes I turn back to face the bartender as he places a glass full of dark brown liquid on the bar top that I eye sceptically.

"Love, you said you wanted something strong and that," He holds up my glass, "will make you forget any worries your pretty little heads been having."

I smile gratefully and gulp the drink down in one, I supress a splutter as the liquid burns my throat and makes me feel warm all over.

"Jennifer, he's looking at us. Oh God, his hot." The woman next to me excitedly tells her friend, I turn my head a little bit and see a middle aged woman smothered in fake tan shake her friend in enthusiasm. The friend gushes and throws a seductive look Eric's way only to be slapped on the arm by Miss Orange.

"Don't be obvious, act casual." She scolds, then proceeds to but a hand on her hip and thrust her boobs out whilst winking at the tall blonde vampire.

"Oh yeah, he wants me." She says whilst biting her lip, looking lustfully towards the stage that Eric sat on.

I laugh and order another drink, it was half 2 in the morning, I'm in vampire bar and I am the Mate of a 2000 year old vampire. Things could be worse.

I go to press the cool drink to my lips but I'm stopped by a pale hand grabbing it out of mine. Eric places my drink on the counter and signals for the bartender to take it away. I glance to the left and see the two women from earlier glare daggers into me, I look away quickly to avoid their hateful stares.

"That's quite enough." He says lowly in my ear with a hint of annoyance. "Humans are even more idiotic when they consume alcohol, I won't have my makers Mate stumbling around here like a dead beat hick."

In an act of defiance I grab the drink the bartender placed down in front of the man on the stool next to me but before I could bring it close to me Eric knocks it out of my hand and pulls me from my seat.

"Albert." He warns, using my full name to both emphasize his point and annoy me further.

"Eric." I counter, my tone seeping venom.

The orange woman decided that this exact moment was appropriate to make her move, moving closer to Eric she places her hand on his arm and gives it a firm squeeze.

"Ignore her sugar, if she won't play then we definitely will." She purrs seductively.

He ignores her and just shakes her hand off his arm.

Not used to being denied by men the orange woman tries again.

"Trust me, her experience is _nothing_ compared to mine." She moves closer to him, thrusting her chest out in a seductive stance.

"Your nothing but a desperate human, bored with her dull little life so she takes off her wedding ring and fucks other men." He tells her with little emotion in his voice, seemingly bored.

"H-h-how dare you! You know nothing!" She hisses at him.

"Pam." Eric orders and the vicious blonde woman appears next to Eric.

"Do I finally get to kick out this orange hoe?" Pam says with a smirk of satisfaction.

"Escort her off the premises, make sure she knows not to return." He orders.

"Gladly, come on, let us girls go and play." She purrs and I supress as a shudder and not try to think too much about what 'play' entailed. Pam grabs the woman's arm, none too lightly, and starts to drag her towards the door.

Eric turns me around and starts pushing me in the direction of his office, I don't fight against him, knowing there's no escape without him noticing.

"Pam has hated her for weeks, she'll be glad to finally get rid of her."

I don't respond and just nod as he closes the door behind us. He just sits down at his desk and begins typing on his computer. I groan in frustration, knowing I'll be bored out of my mind with nothing to do so I plonk myself down on the couch and lean against the arm wracking my brain for something decent to do.

As nothing springs to mind I sigh and lean back but as I lie down my head come into contact with someone's leg and my eyes snap open in surprise to see Godric and a blush spreads through my cheeks as I remember my most recent dream. I hadn't noticed him slip into the office, his eyes looked troubled and dirt was smeared on his hands and clothes.

Despite the dirt I lay my head on his thigh, feeling completely at ease. Feeling bold, I grab his hand to kiss his palm. He smiles down at me then lifts me up and slides down underneath me so we're both lazily lying across the couch.

"I couldn't find Wren." He admits quietly. "He's good at hiding himself and I waited too long to go and find him."

"So what will he do now?" I ask.

"His become a mad vampire, it's near impossible to predict his actions. But I suspect he'll try to come after you, his convinced himself that you're his lost Mate." At this his grip on me tightens but not enough to make me uncomfortable.

"You should keep her at the house, she'll be easier to keep an eye on there." Eric says, I look towards him and notice he had abandoned his work on the desk to concentrate on his maker.

"Who's house? My house?" I ask inquisitively.

"No, Eric's house. It's where I'm residing for the time being." Godric says in a low murmur and I look up at him to see a look of deep contemplation on his face. He was seriously considering taking me to Eric's house and I didn't think I would get much of a choice in the matter once he made his mind up, as much as I would like to be close to him I had other things to deal with, like the Brendon issue.

"I can just stay home during the night, Wren can't come in without an invitation." I suggest but he frowns at my idea.

"He can glamour you into inviting him in, thus leaving you vulnerable." Eric interjects.

"What if I agreed to spend my nights here? You can leave to hunt Wren whilst I stay here with Eric." The idea sounded awful to me, spending my nights in this seedy bar but the only other option was to be locked away in Eric's house and that appealed to me even less. For a few moments the room is silent as Godric decides what to do, I lay my head on his still chest waiting for his answer.

"If you promise to not put yourself in harm's way, then you can stay at your home but you have to be at Eric's side at night." He finally says and I grin.

"Thank you."

"The sun will be up soon, I'll take you home."

The drive home had been quite, I was exhausted and hadn't had much sleep in Eric's office. Every couple of minutes I noticed Godric's eyes flicker towards me and I couldn't help but blush each time. He parks the car on the drive and I notice all the lights on the house were off giving it a slightly eerie look.

I turn back to Godric and a small smile plays on his lips as he takes my hand in his, his thumb stroking the soft flesh of my palm. I remember back to when I first met him, always wearing an expressionless mask to hide every emotion but now he seemed a lot more at ease, more content with his undead existence and I was happy that I could make him feel better.

"Godric." He turns to face me, curious to what I'm going to say. "I'm glad you didn't burn."

With this simple sentence I lean in and kiss him with everything I had. His lips were warm against mine as our pent up passion for one another is unleashed. Without breaking contact he pulls me over to his seat until I'm straddling him, I push my body forwards into his and he growls with desire. Unable to get enough, I slip my tongue past his but he fights back against my control and ensures that he is the dominant one between us. I run my fingers through his soft hair and wrap my arms around his neck as he glides his hands down my hips to rest on my arse.

I hear his fangs click out and gasp as the razor sharp points slice into the soft flesh of my bottom lip, blood oozes out of the cut and Godric eyes it with hunger. I nod in acceptance and he kisses me again, a slow gentle kiss then latches on to my lower lip, his tongue gliding over the sensitive cut as he gently sucks. The feeling is odd but entirely welcoming, pleasurable tingles run down my spine and a warm sensation builds in my lower tummy and I knew if I didn't pull back soon that I wouldn't be able to stop.

I try to pull my lip from Godric's mouth but he grunts and pulls me back towards him, arms like steel bands make it impossible for me to escape him. After a couple of seconds he releases my lip but doesn't loosen his grip on me, instead he glides his lips down my jaw to the side of my neck, planting small kisses in his path that make it hard for me to concentrate.

I feel his fangs scrape against the side of my neck and I felt seriously conflicted, my body desired everything from him but a more logical side to my brain knew that I wasn't ready for this.

"Godric." My voice comes out in a small whisper and although I try to hide it, a trace of fear leaks through. He pauses and holds still whilst my heart thumps loudly in my chest, partly from fear and partly from excitement.

He places one last kiss on my neck and pulls back slightly and I hear the distinct sound of his fangs retracting. I look down embarrassed and he goes to place a finger under my chin to lift my gaze but before he can I lean forwards and bury my head in his chest, hiding from him.

"I'm sorry." Is all I can breathe out and he holds me close, folding me in his arms.

"Do not worry, I didn't mean to push you." I smile into his chest, glad that he wasn't angry with me. We stay like this for a couple of minutes until he sighs and reluctantly releases me.

"I must leave, the sun will be up shortly." I nod in understanding and open the door to jump out of the car.

"Until tomorrow." I say and peck him on the cheek. Turning around, I reluctantly walk carefully back to the house, the small gravel stones digging into my bare soles. I hear the car pull off the drive and fade into the distance, I dig my keys out of my pocket and go to put the key in the door when I notice something at my feet. The darkness made it hard to figure out so I kneel down and reach my hands out to grab whatever the hell it was.

Leaves, stems adorned with sharp thorns and petals bunched together to form what could only be a roses. I smile warmly at the gesture, I knew Sookie and Bill had been arguing again and I presume these flowers were a make up gift for Sookie. I lift the large bungle into my arms and frown when liquid, which I guess is water, paints my arms. Opening the door, I walk into the kitchen and flick the light on whilst placing the roses on the table.

Glancing at the roses in the light I notice two things that chill me to the bone.

The first was the roses were covered in blood and the second was a small card, covered in dirt and blood that had words written in in neat handwriting.

_My dearest Rose, we'll be together soon._

_ ~ James._

**AN: Cheers for reading, I hope you're all still interested. Let me know what you think.**

**Thank you for all the ideas you've given me, they've been inspiring. **


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: True Blood isn't mine. **

_**Previously**_

_Glancing at the roses in the light I notice two things that chill me to the bone. _

_The first was the roses were covered in blood and the second was a small card, covered in dirt and blood that had words written in in neat handwriting. _

_My dearest Rose, we'll be together soon._

_~ James._

**On with the new. **

My breath clogs my throat as I stare in horror at the blood soaked table. The roses were beautiful but heavily marred by the thick, red liquid. This sick and twisted present terrified me to the bone, how did James find me?

Oh God, he knew where I lived.

James Wren has deluded himself into thinking that I was his lost Mate and I was almost certain that he would kill me when he found out I was not. Those other girls who had died at his hand must have also been mistaken for his mate and they had been brutally torn apart. Will the same happen to me? My body shudder at the thought and my fingers shake in fear.

I squeeze my eyes shut and work on suppressing the fear, I had to be practical and couldn't run around the house, screaming like a senseless twit. My sense returns and I choke down a scream, I couldn't risk Sookie finding out about this, she had enough on her plate worrying about Bill and all other vampire stuff. Without thinking I grab the bouquet of roses into my arms and throw them into a bin bag, throwing the card in too. I leave it by the back door, afraid to step out of the house whilst the moon was still up and certain psychopathic vampires were able to lurk about.

Whilst reining in my emotions I grab a cloth and begin to methodically clean up the bloody mess. It took a long while to clean up all the red stains, the blood had smothered the table and dripped on the floor where I had carried the roses through the house. I was scrubbing a stubborn spot on the rug when I notice my phone flashing in the corner of the room. I throw down the brush and go to pick it up, the screen flashes at me, telling me I had 2 missed calls from Eric and 3 from an unknown number. I groan and flop down onto the couch, should I tell him what happened? I bite my nails whilst contemplating what to do and although I didn't want them to worry I had to tell them.

They'd be pissed if I didn't.

Sighing, I tap the screen to recall the unknown number which I guessed was Godric.

He picks up on the first ring. "Alba." He breathed as if he was breathing a sigh of relief.

"Roses," I stutter out. "He left me roses."

"Who did, mon feu?" He asks calmly.

"James Wren." The terror that I had supressed was threatening to bubble back up to the surface. I squeeze my eyes shut and concentrate on the sound of Godric's voice.

"Are you sure it was him?" His voice was calm but I could tell he was trying to subdue his anger.

"The roses were covered in blood. There was also a card, it said 'My dearest Rose, we'll be together soon.'" I was silent for a few seconds and no sound was coming from the other end. "Godric, he's going to tear me apart." I say in a small voice, fear leaking through my words despite my effort to contain it.

"Nothing will happen to you."

"You don't know that."

"Trust me." Something inside me tugs and I realise that I completely did. I had only known him for a handful of weeks and yet I had complete faith in him, trusting him with my life.

This mating business is strong stuff.

"What do I do?"

"Make sure your inside when the sun starts to go down and don't leave the house after dark." He warns.

"Will you come to me when it goes dark?" I just wanted him next to me, it sounded obsessive and clingy in my head and I cursed myself for sounding so needy.

"I wish I could but I need to hunt James down. I will return to you at the end but Eric will be by your side throughout the night."

I groan and slump further into the couch. "Ugh, not that perv." I hear Godric chuckle softly and I catch Eric's voice in the background.

"I heard that." He sounded a little ticked off and I grinned.

"Good. So do you want to meet me here or shall I meet you at Fangtasia?" I ask Eric, knowing he could hear me. I hear a growl and knew I had said something wrong.

"I said you are not to leave your house after dark, James could easily walk into Fangtasia and merely take you." He growled out and I almost slap my forehead for my stupidity.

I saw his point, at Fangtasia I was a sitting duck.

"Sorry, I'm not the brightest bulb sometimes. I'll see you tonight, and promise me you'll be careful."

He laughs, not a light hearted laugh but a dark chuckle that held an undercurrent of viciousness. "Mon feu, do not underestimate me. Two thousand years and I have not just been sitting idle."

I think of that current of power that always seemed to surround him and I didn't doubt that he could end Wren but it didn't stop me from worrying about him. What if he got hurt?

"I can feel your worry for me, Alba. Have a little faith in me and I'll see you tonight."

"Good morning Godric, now go to bed." I scold, he repeats the sentiment to me and we hang up. After saving his number I toss the phone onto the coffee table and stand up, stretching out my tired muscles. I was exhausted but I needed to finish cleaning up.

I scrub at the last few spots on the carpet and eye the sun rising in the sky. It was now 7 in the morning and I decided that it was safe to step out of the house to chuck the roses and card into the trash. After I return to the house and tuck the cleaning products back into the cupboard Sookie clambers down the steps, covering her mouth as she yawns.

"Alba, is that you?" She calls out.

"Yeah I was just about to head to bed." I mumble out, unable to keep my voice chipper.

"Have you only just got back? You and Sarah shouldn't stay out so late, it isn't healthy." She scolds as she boils the kettle to make a cup of coffee. I open my mouth to tell her what had happened but she cuts me off. "Bill came by last night. I'm still mad at him for not coming to the church to help us the first time, he tells me he was held hostage by his maker but what if he was ignoring my fear just to be with her." She shakes her head and looks down sadly. "You don't think I'm over reacting do you? I just saw the love between Eric and his maker and thought what if it was the same between Bill and that bitch Lorena?"

"I honestly don't know Sook. He might love her but I see the way he looks at you and holds you close. I'm willing to bet that you're the one he loves." I say and her face brightens, her eyes lighting up with joy. She looks to me gratefully and I was happy that I had cheered her up.

"Maybe I should give him a chance to redeem himself. I'll invite him round tonight. Do you mind going to Brendon's or something so we can have some privacy?" She looks at me with pleading eyes.

"Yeah about that. There's been a bit of trouble lately so Godric wants me to stay in the house at night… With Eric acting as a body guard."

She does a double take. "Are you telling me that arrogant asshole who tricked me into drinking his blood is going to be in my house all night?" She asks dryly.

"Well… Yes."

"What kind of trouble?" She asks.

"There's this vampire named James Wren that thinks I'm his mate and not Godric. He's hell bent on taking me as his own." Surprisingly I tell her pretty calmly although fear was bubbling within me.

Sookie's eyes widen and she stops stirring her coffee. "Are you being serious?"

"Unfortunately yes." There's a beat of silence between us and Sookie glances at me worriedly. "But don't worry, Godric's going to dispose of him whilst Eric keeps two eyes on me."

She nods. "So you said Mate. I suppose you now know?"

"Godric reluctantly told me last night." I mumble, I was leaning my head on my hands and I briefly tell her what happened last night. I was barely able to keep my eyes open through the conversation and in the end I gave up and let my eyes close, sliding my head down onto my arms to lean heavily on the table.

"I think you seriously need to consider your situation, you can reject the…" Her voice fades out as my breathing slows and I briefly wonder what she was going to say before I'm pulled under by sleep.

A shake to the shoulder rouses me and I find my face pressed into the wood of the table. I groan and sit up, rubbing my eyes to wake myself up.

"Sorry," I mumble, "You were saying?" I mumble, my voice fading out.

"Never mind that, I think you should head to bed, go on." She urges and I don't hesitate. Standing on shaky legs I drag myself upstairs and change into an old baggy top of Jason before slipping between the heavenly sheets and curling up in my bed. My last thoughts being a silent plead that I wouldn't be wracked with nightmares.

I wake up late afternoon and groggily roll over, groaning when I see the afternoon sun blazing through my open curtains. I look at the clock on my bedside table and see it was half 2 in the afternoon, after deciding 7 hours sleep was sufficient I pull myself out of bed. I had dreamt of Luke again, the fear and stress I was under making the nightmares far worse.

I honestly felt like shit, I still had last night's makeup on and my auburn curls must be frizzy as hell. Sighing, I reluctantly look in the full size mirror and I'm amazed at what I see.

For the first time since I had returned from Dallas I finally take a good look at my reflection and I was impressed at what I saw. My face was smooth and free from blemishes, only partially marred by small smudges of makeup. I take off the baggy shirt I was wearing and look at my naked body in the mirror. My stomach seemed flatter and toned then it ever had before, with more of a curve to my hips and fuller breasts I looked less of a little girl and more of a woman.

The biggest change was my now mismatched eyes, since yesterday more of Godric's blue eye colour had taken over one of my eyes and there was barely any trace of my original green left in it. It was odd to look at but somehow seemed natural to me.

The combined effect of the ancient vampire's blood was truly astounding and I can see why there is such a black-market for the stuff. It worked better than any anti-wrinkle scream or tinted foundation to hide blemishes and was much easier at gaining a firm, fuller body then doing countless hours of exercise.

Throwing on a dressing gown I head to the shower and scrub myself clean. The hot spray burns my skin and I yelp, cursing the dysfunctional shower.

"I see someone's finally up." Sookie shouts through the door with a laugh, knowing full well that I was being burnt by the shower one minute then frozen the next.

"You think you could get this fixed one day?" I shout back.

"You know we're poorer then poor, when I've saved up some money I'll get a plumber in, I promise."

"Cheers."

"I was going to go see Jason this afternoon, want to come with me?" I deliberate for a second, the shower spray turning bearable. Godric said I had to be inside my house before it turned dark, so I could go to Jason's, I just had to be back at sunset.

"Give me ten, and I'll pop along with you." She shouts 'okay' and walks off.

Jason's house was a tip, pizza boxes and empty beer bottles littered the floor and counter tops, small attempts to keep the place clean were noticeable but most of the place was a complete pig sty.

"Jason Stackhouse, how on earth do you bring a girl back to this place without losing her under the piles of rubbish?" I question with an accusing raised eyebrow, he looks down in shame but I can tell his faking and has no intention of ever tidying this place. Rolling my eyes I tip the couch on its side so all the bits of rubbish fall the floor. Jason protests, claiming that all the rubbish on it was important but I just shake my head and tell him that old newspapers and chocolate bar wrappers aren't precious. Me and Sookie clamber onto the back of the couch, balancing on the back with our feet on the cushioned part was a lot safer than sitting on it normally.

Who knows what Jason had done with a number of horny women on this couch.

He sits with us and passes me and Sookie a beer. I take mine gratefully but Sookie declines, saying she had to drive. We sit there and watch TV, watching SpongeBob and Patrick bounce around on the screen in a hyperactive and slightly ridiculous manner. It makes me laugh how much Jason becomes entranced by the show, always laughing loudly at the more silly parts.

After some banter Sookie rolls off the couch and steps outside to answer her phone.

"Jason, since the Fellowship and the bombing with Luke have you been feeling… well… guilt?" I ask him steadily whilst looking down at my hands, my fingers clinging to one another. He looks at me through curious blue eyes then takes a swig of beer.

"Nope." He pops the 'p' and I roll my eyes. "The way I think of it is they were in the wrong. Doing all them bad things and we were in the right, doing good things. So those brainwashing motherfuckers deserved everything they got." Jason was so simple, I envied him for his black and white look at the whole thing.

"But what about Luke? He was misguided, just like you. He didn't deserve to die."

"But he did die." Rage starts to boil in me at his all to simple answer.

"Just for once Jason could you grow a brain cell! How can you be so narrow minded?" I snap and I instantly regret it. I look up to see hurt eyes staring back at me, his shoulder droop a little bit and I hated myself for what I said.

"I didn't mean that. I'm sorry Jason, I've been having these dreams about Luke, nightmares really, and they don't stop." I try to keep my voice steady but it cracks and trembles as I speak. "They're horrid Jason, in my dreams Luke just stands there, repeating his final moments until the bomb blows. I try to stop him, I really do." During my ramble Jason wraps his arms around me and tears that were threatening to spill over now make tracks down my face. I lean into Jason as a sob makes it way up my throat, it felt good to finally talk about my guilt with Luke.

"Come on Alba, don't cry." Despite his efforts to sooth me I can't stop the tears so I burry my face into his chest and try to be as quite as possible. "You couldn't have saved him. Luke choose to sacrifice his own life for what he believed in. And although _we_ think it was wrong, I'm willing to bet _he_ thought it was right and was proud of what he did. So I think you need to see him less as a victim because I recon he'd be offended, he was proud to die for what he believed in and nobody could have stopped him." Oddly, what Jason said made sense and although tears still trickled down my face I felt better from what he said.

"When did you get so clever?" I ask quietly.

"It's a curse I have to bear but you know what they say, smarts the new sexy." He says whilst wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and I laugh, almost falling off the back of the couch.

Sookie walks back into the room, completely confused to why I looked like I had been crying as I was half dangling off the back of the couch in fits of giggles.

We said our goodbyes to Jason, decidedly heading home as the sun was due to set. Sookie asks what me and Jason had talked about but I just shake my head, telling her I would tell her some other time.

When we get back to the house Sookie walks into the kitchen and asks me to help her cook dinner. I could see the sun lowering on the horizon and worry started to build up in me. I was so distracted I accidently slice my finger as I chopped some mushrooms and Sookie shoos me out of the kitchen, saying that I had my head in the clouds and was a danger hazard, just as Gran would have. Instead of leaving I sit at the kitchen table and watch her cook a lasagne to help keep me distracted from thinking about Wren.

It comes to about 6 O'clock as me and Sookie finish our plates of food, she talks to me about trivial happenings in the town. How Andy Belfour was back on the drink, Lafayette was back to his old ways and Tara had loved a guy named Eggs but he suddenly left town. I try to act interested and ask the right questions but I was completely distracted with thoughts on Wren. The sky was just turning dark and it made me wonder where he was, had he gone to ground around the house? Or far away, knowing that Godric would try to hunt him down.

"Alba! Didn't you hear what I just said?" I shake my thoughts and look to Sookie who was scrapping her plate in the sink. I ask her to repeat it.

"There was a knock on the door, I asked you to go and answer it." I reluctantly rise to my feet and march to the front door.

I open the door to see Eric standing there without his usual arrogant grin, a business like expression gracing his face. He held another vampire to the left of him by the throat, dangling the shorter vampire in the air. It takes me a second to realise it was Bill.

"Eric, what are you doing? Put him down!" I order but he doesn't let go of Bill. An amused expression taints his face and I eye Eric sceptically.

"I was order to protect you, and here I find a vampire skulking around you home. I naturally decided to take him as a hostile threat."

"He is not a hostile threat and you damn well know it, now put him down!" He drops Bill unceremoniously on the floor, thankfully he lands on his feet so at least some of his dignity stays intact.

Turning to me and ignoring Eric, Bill asks. "Miss Stackhouse, is your sister available?"

"Sure Bill, come on in." He smiles appreciatively at me and steps through the door, disappearing into the house to find his southern belle.

"Well Mr Northman, I suppose I ought to invite you in as well. What would become of my manners is if I invited one gentleman in and not the other?"

"I would greatly appreciate it, since it's raining out here." He has a grin on his face as he says this but I see his eyes flicker around, surveying the area.

"Is he close?" I ask in a quite whisper. He pulls a face and reaches out to grab my hand.

"I would prefer to have you inside, now invite me in." The last part was an order, the unmistakable air of command that Godric held had obviously rubbed off on Eric over the years.

"Come in, Eric." Before I barely finish the last syllable I'm pushed further in to the house. He walks past me and into the kitchen where Sookie and Bill were swapping sweet words and saliva, obviously she had forgiven him.

"Now this looks fun, Bill don't you know it's rude not to share?" Eric asks, arrogance lacing his deep voice. In response Bill holds Sookie close and drops his fangs which makes Eric drop his in retaliation.

"Eric, I will not tolerate-" Bills warning is cut off by knocking at the door.

Deciding that everyone else was going to be busy arguing, or in Eric's case, leering suggestively at Sookie, I turned on my heel and strolled out of the kitchen towards the door.

As my hand closes around the door handle an arm wraps around my waist and wrenches me off my feet and away from the front door. My back was clutched tightly to a large, lean chest and my feet dangled on the air. I recognise Eric's large frame, and monstrous hands clutching me securely and my heart calms down a little.

"Don't. It's Wren."

**AN: Let me know what you think x**


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: True Blood isn't mine. **

**Previously **

_As my hand closes around the door handle an arm wraps around my waist and wrenches me off my feet and away from the front door. My back was clutched tightly to a large, lean chest and my feet dangled on the air. I recognise Eric's large frame, and monstrous hands clutching me securely and my heart calms down a little. _

"_Don't. It's Wren."_

**On with the new. **

"Rose, sweetheart. Answer the door and let me in."

James was here and he wanted to see his Rose. Unfortunately for me, as soon as he figures out I wasn't _his_ beloved Mate I was as good as dead, all it would take is a small taste of my blood for him to realise I wasn't his at all. The thought chilled me to the point of shaking in Eric's well-muscled arms.

Wren knocks on the door again, this time with such a strength the door shakes on its hinges as the sharp knocks echo through the still house.

"My love, it's raining." No one answers and I hear him let out a long, breathy sigh.

"If you're angry at me for leaving you for so long, I understand but please let me in."

He sounded so heart breakingly desperate that, despite my fear, it made me want to comfort him. He moans long fully and I was pretty sure if I opened the door I would see Wrens face streaked with blood.

"Look, there's this vampire chasing me. He's going to kill me, I know it, I've seen it in his eyes. I don't want to meet the true death, not until I've seen you one last time, held you close and kissed you." All this mad vampire wanted was to see his mate, his Rose, again. If I was dead, would Godric be like this? Searching for his lost mate and only seeing me in the mismatched eyes of other vampire's mates? I squeeze my eyes shut and will the pity I felt for him away, no good would come of him getting to me.

"He's close. Please open the door." His voice becomes quieter, more fragile, and my heart lurches for him against my will. I must have made a slight move forward because Eric tightens his grip on me, his arms squeezing my ribs tightly, making it impossible for me to get away.

"My love, my Rose. _Please_." He whispers so softly I almost miss it.

Less than a second passes and his mood dramatically changes for the worse.

"That tattooed bastard will not keep me from you." The words are spat through the thick wood of the door. His once gentle voice is tainted with vehemence and hatred to a terrifying degree. He slams his fists on the front door and the wood splinters, the loud bang startles me, a mere second ago he had been so gentle and loving and now it sounded as if he was ready to kill. I hear a sharp cracking sound coming from the other side of the door and my hands start to shake violently, what if he tries to kill Godric?

The cracking noise stops and for a few seconds nothing happens. Both me and Eric stay completely still and the only sound that makes it to my ears is the gentle tap of the rain on the windows and my breath being forced in and out of my lungs.

The silence of the house weighs heavily on me, I strain my ears to hear any signs of activity from the other side of the door but none reach my useless, human ears.

"His gone."

As Eric says this I look up at his face, steely blue eyes still glared threateningly at my front door and there was a pissed off curl to his lip. He releases his overly strong grip, which had slowly been getting tighter during the ordeal, and puts my feet back down on the ground. My knees wobble dangerously and I thought for a horrible moment that I would just fall to the ground but I manage to stay standing on my own two feet without any help. I push myself forwards towards the living room so I could sink into the soft and familiar cushions of the couch but a large hand suddenly pressed against my hip stops me. I twist my head back to face Eric, he stays deathly still, his only noticeable movement was his long fingers slowly digging into the flesh of my pelvis.

"Eric, is he coming back?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

He doesn't respond and instead presses a finger to his lips, signalling for me to hush. I watch as his stands impossibly still, the only movement I catch is the slight narrow of his eyes. After a couple of silent beats his whole stance shifts into something far more relaxed. No longer glaring at the door he turns to me.

"Godric is close. Wren fears him so he won't come close to you with him around."

"How can he evade Godric so well? How does he escape him?"

"When a vampire's mate dies they become much stronger than they should for their age." He tells me almost clinically, like he's bored of telling me the details. Releasing my hip, he saunters off to the kitchen.

I follow him and see Sookie and Bill were still embracing each other in the kitchen, Sookie clung to the fabric of Bills shirt, wrinkling the material between her tanned fingers. She looked worried, her pale blonde eyebrows creasing slightly as she glances at me with concerned eyes. I watch as Eric opens the back door, which squeaks loudly, and step through the only barrier we had to keep away from Wren. He stops on the step and looks up at the leaking clouds. He grunts in disapproval before turning back around to face me.

"I'm going to speak to Godric. No you cannot come with me." He adds when I open my mouth to ask to join him. "Bill. Make sure Albert doesn't set foot outside the house, if I found out she has I'll take Sookie off you as punishment." Bill stiffens and nods sharply at his words, he couldn't ignore a command from his superior but he was obviously ticked off with the threat. He angles his body so he was between the smirking Viking and Sookie who was currently glaring daggers at the tall, arrogant vampire. If looks could kill then Eric would be a pile of goo on the floor.

"Perhaps she will_ come _willingly." He winks mischievously and speeds off in a flash.

"His just so…. Ugh!" Sookie riles, throwing her hands into the air to express her frustration. "I would never leave you." She declares in a honey -like voice to Bill before kissing him sweetly.

Whilst their overly sweet display of affection was going on I collapse into the nearest chair, the wooden slats of the kitchen chair digs uncomfortably into my back but I ignore it.

Too many thoughts were shooting through my head at once.

_Godric was close._

_Sookie needs to be more cautious around Eric, I know she dreams about him._

_Wren sounded so sad at the door. _

_How close was Godric?_

_What if Wren tried to kill Godric in order to get to me?_

_Wren._

_Godric._

_Wren._

_Godric._

"ALBA!" Sookie yells so loudly in my ear that I recoil and press my palms firmly over my poor ears.

"Jesus Chris, Sook!"

"You watch that language of yours, young lady. I will not have you taking the lords name in vain in my house." She scolds and I glare at her darkly. "I've been calling you over and over for the past couple of minutes, this is no time to have your head in the clouds."

"Do you think I don't know that? I could be dead by morning." I snap back. My head was pounding, too many thoughts were rushing through my mind all too quickly, each thought pushed more emotion into me then I thought possible.

Fear, passion, worry, guilt, lust, terror. The list goes on, seemingly never-ending.

I felt exhausted and rub my eyes, the small attempt to sooth myself doesn't work and my mind speeds on. I was sitting duck, waiting to either be killed or rescued like the dumb damsel I was. I think back to the times before the fellowship, where my days consisted of lounging about with Brendon or helping Sookie out around the house in exchange for a ride somewhere. I don't regret meeting Godric but since I had there had always been something to fear and I was tired of being so scared all the time.

"Alba, honey." Sookie's words are soft and she kneels down in front of my chair, taking my hands in her smooth ones. "Take deep breaths and stop stressing yourself out. Your mind's going to fry if you keep trying to think of everything all at once." She offers me a small smile. "And don't beat yourself up, none of this is your fault. You aren't dumb."

I squeeze her hands to let her know that I appreciated her words but I still felt as if I was being thrown into the world of supernatural shit and I couldn't find my two feet to stand on.

"Do you think it will ever get easier?" I ask her. "Less crazy"

"It might. But in my experience, the more I find out about vampires, the less I wish I knew."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Really think hard about what you want because once you're in the world of vampires, I think you become trapped."

"I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do. It might not feel like it but-"

"Sookie." Bills voice drawls, he flashes from leaning against the fridge to standing directly beside Sookie's kneeling form. "Darling, you cannot suggest-"

"Bill, I won't have my sister forced into something she doesn't want." Sookie snaps back and I smile at her, since Gran had died she had become a somewhat of a protective mother hen.

"Mates aren't something to be toyed with Sookie, if Godric or Eric ever heard you speaking of rejecting the Mates to Alba-."

"I can reject this?" I suddenly ask, holding my hand over my heart where the ever present pull to Godric resided.

Bills eyes widen and for a second and I think I see fear flash across his eyes, he looks at the door edgily before leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"Eric is coming back and he is very close. If he hears us talking of rejection…" He drifts off and I see real, pure fear colour his face. "I beg of you, do not mention this." He pleads in my ear and I nod slowly, not fully understanding why Bill was so scared of Eric hearing us talking.

_I can reject this? _The thought of rejecting Godric had never really crossed my mind, could I actually do that?

I was now more confused than ever. How would I even reject this? The pull made me feel like I needed Godric with me constantly, his skin pressed against mine, my beating heart resting against his still one. I sigh and let out a long breath, even thinking about it made me feel better.

_Life could go back to the way it was._ I wouldn't be in these dangerous situations. Bombing, kidnapping, attacked in that club by one deranged vampire that was hell bent on taking a bite out of me.

I shake my head and push the nagging thought out of my mind, this was no time to even consider rejecting Godric as my mate. I file away this little piece of knowledge from Bill and decide that I should look into it at a later date. It was nice to know I had the decision, instead of being thrown head first into this Mate business and I resolved on finding out more about this bond before I make my decision.

I'm jolted from my thoughts by the sound of the back door squeaking open. Eric glides into the house with ease, an unreadable expression adorns his face as he slams the door shut behind him. Water dripped from him, and as he shook his light blond hair, droplets fly across the kitchen and splatter on nearly every surface.

Both me and Sookie give him an unimpressed look which he returns with an uncaring shrug.

"Ignore him darling." Bill drawls whilst wrapping his arms securely around Sookie's slim waist.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners. Bill, would you like a True Blood?" She begrudgedly adds. "You too Eric?"

"I would appreciate that, darling."

"No, that stuff tastes like shit."

Sookie shakes her head at Eric's rudeness and goes to the fridge, whilst she pops the cap off the chunky bottle and places it into the microwave I stand up and decide that keeping busy would keep my mind off everything. I walk over to the sink and lean heavily against it as I grab the first dirtied dish and start scrubbing it mercilessly.

Pale hands grab my wrists and I drop the plate and sponge in shock. Eric pulls my hands out of the sink and leans in close to me, pressing his cold nose against my forehead.

"Godric says stop worrying. He will be fine and so will you. Stop being scared."

"I'm not."

He holds up my hands and I notice they're shaking, it surprised me, I thought I was holding myself together quite well.

"He'll be with you soon." Eric mutters against my skin before pressing a kiss to my forehead and moving away.

"Where is he?"

He sighs and runs a hand through his wet hair. "Wrens nifty on his feet but Godric's closing in on him, he's waiting for Wren to slip up and return to you. When he does he'll catch and steak him through the heart."

"But what if he doesn't come back?" I ask.

Eric pauses for a few seconds before answering. "He will." He didn't sound convincing at all and I guessed this plan was a gamble. "A mad vampires actions are unpredictable but he wants you more than anything."

"How close is Godric?"

"His hiding close by, hopefully Wren won't notice his presence in his mad state."

I nod and carry on with the dishes, Eric sighs and moves away, realising I was determined to do this mediocre task. I took deep breaths and tried to regain control over my hands. The crockery clatters together in my clumsy grip but I persevere to clean every scrap of stubborn dirt glued to the dishes. Godric was out there making sure I stayed alive through the night and all I could do in return was stand here and clean the dishes, there had to be some way I could be of more use. If I could help some way, even if it was the smallest thing, I wouldn't feel so weak and helpless.

An idea suddenly clicks in my mind, for a second it reminds me off the silly cartoons I used to watch when I was little, where the main character had an idea and a bulb above their head lit up.

The floating bulb on top of my head was now shining brightly.

I didn't have to be a sitting duck, waiting for Wren to come and chew on me, I could walk out of the house and let myself be bait to lure him in. It sounded mad, or perhaps plain stupid, but if I was outside then Wren wouldn't be blocked by the invisible barriers of the house, seeing me as completely free to take means he would, hopefully, come to me without pausing to think about anyone hunting him. That would give Godric the opportunity to catch him and deliver the True Death. In short, me being outside this house would ensure Godric's plan would work.

The only problem was Eric. If he noticed that I was even going close to the door then I was pretty sure he would drag me back into the middle of the house and not let me out of his grip for the rest of the night. Plus he would be insanely pissed.

It would be simpler to just remove the invisible barrier keeping Wren out of the house by inviting him in but what if he decided to kill everyone inside? I won't put Sookie in that kind of danger. Eric and Bill to.

I tune back into the room, realising the others were arguing behind me.

"It's none of your fucking business what I do with my boyfriend in my own house!" Sookie screeches so loudly I'm amazed I didn't realise they were arguing before. He voice was several octaves too high and I guessed she was embarrassed about something.

"It was merely a question, Miss Stackhouse."

"Go to hell, you enigmatic perv!" _Someone had been paying attention to her 'word of the day' calendar. _

"Darling, perhaps we should leave the room. If he upsets you so greatly we can go somewhere more comfortable, your bedroom perhaps." Bill smirks slyly at Eric, it wasn't a smirk I liked and it purely said '_I win and you lose'_. I wasn't sure I liked my sister being seen as a prize.

Before I could say anything Sookie giggles and kisses Bill deeply on the mouth. "Mr Compton, I would be honoured if you would join me in my bedroom."

She turns to me, "Are you going to be okay?"

I silently nod back at her and wink, showing her I didn't mind at all.

Sookie grins happily and pulls Bill behind her out of the kitchen, he follows all too eagerly and when she proves to be too slow for him, he throws her over his shoulder and vamp speeds up the stairs and to the bedroom.

I turn to look at Eric but I'm surprised to find the room empty, where had that Viking got-

"FOR FUCKS SAKE ERIC!"

Sookie's frustrated scream rattled the house, usually I would laugh at the situation but something in my mind told me this was it, this was my chance to get outside. By a stroke of luck, everyone in the house was preoccupied and with no one paying any attention to me I could easily slip out of the house.

As quietly and quickly as I could, I gently place the fork I had been scrubbing back into the soapy sink and walk lightly over to the door. My worn, old boots sat by the front door and I curse myself for not having any shoes on. Without pausing I grab the door handle and open the door just enough to squeeze my body through without the unoiled hinge squeaking loudly.

The cold air hits my bear arms as I take my first step outside the safety of my home.

Oh God, please let this work.

**AN: Wow. I am so sorry for leaving you all hanging for so long. I can't apologise enough, if you're still interested in the story then thankyou for sticking with it after so long. Let me know what you think of the chapter and if I should continue x**


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